Author Topic: Prince Harry Doesn't Think Highly of the British Media (Read 1420 times)

cinrit · « **on:** December 28, 2011, 12:17:04 PM »

Quote

If you couldn't guess what young British royals think about their country's rowdy tabloid media, Prince Harry has put it on the record: "Ghastly."

That's what Harry said in a handwritten letter he sent in November to Ron Henry, the mayor of Gila Bend, Ariz., where the prince and his British Army mates trained at the Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field this fall.

Before Harry arrived, Henry was quoted in London's Daily Mail tabloid on Nov. 8 as warning the prince and his comrades not to "fornicate" with the young women in his "Christian" town or their fathers might do something extreme. But Henry says he never said that.

The next day, Harry's letter, published Tuesday in the Phoenix New Times, arrived at the mayor's office. It contains Harry's thanks for the "fantastic hospitality" shown the British soldiers in the desert town. "I also understand that you have been 'trapped' by the ghastly British media, and therefore been misquoted no doubt which I'm sure wasn't expected."

Harry then passes on the contact information for the British Press Complaint Commission, with which he is all too familiar, in case the mayor wanted to "clear up" the lie. The mayor did and on Dec. 11, soon after he filed a complaint, the Daily Mail published an apology and correction. The tabloid blamed a "news agency" report for the made-up story. However, another tabloid, The Sun, still has a similar story on its website.

Read more: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2011/12/prince-harry-doesnt-think-highly-of-the-british-media-/1?AID=4992781&PID=4166869&SID=1t1xd2oytjw7j

Cindy

wannable · « **Reply #1 on:** December 28, 2011, 01:16:51 PM »

Very telling, Prince Harry reads the tabloids and is keen to use the Press Complaints Commission.

cinrit · « **Reply #2 on:** December 28, 2011, 01:45:38 PM »

^^ Proof that everyone is entitled to use the Commission if they feel harrassed or maligned.

Cindy

wannable · « **Reply #3 on:** December 28, 2011, 01:48:42 PM »

All quarters, except the Middleton's

cinrit · « **Reply #4 on:** December 28, 2011, 01:51:15 PM »

Uh-huh.

Cindy

wannable · « **Reply #5 on:** December 28, 2011, 02:02:22 PM »

Middleton detractors would say Harry looked for it. He fornicated in California, the Arizona Mayor was allegedly mis-quoted by the Daily Mail but still available in The Sun, do not fornicate in my desert state or the daddy's will shoot you and Harry jumps for the PCC.

cinrit · « **Reply #6 on:** December 28, 2011, 02:15:11 PM »

^^ I remember that article. Thought it was an odd thing for someone to say.

Cindy

Ben · « **Reply #7 on:** December 28, 2011, 02:16:39 PM »

The PCC do nothing. They have no power to punish anyone. It is completely useless and doesn't serve a purpose. They are on the side of the Journalists. Done about it in my Journalism degree. Harry only hates the press because of the stories it prints about him partying and being with women. If you put yourself in the public eye, prepare for the consequences!

cinrit · « **Reply #8 on:** December 28, 2011, 02:28:23 PM »

^^ They are not there to punish anyone. Harry put in his complaint and the article was withdrawn, as is only fair if the article was incorrect. That's all that is expected of them, as far as I know.

Cindy

Ben · « **Reply #9 on:** December 28, 2011, 03:29:53 PM »

^
Which is why they are useless. My point exactly. Newspapers should be made to make front page apologies and face heavy fines for wrong doing.

cinrit · « **Reply #10 on:** December 28, 2011, 03:36:13 PM »

^^ It's up to the individual to sue the media.

Cindy

psm · « **Reply #11 on:** December 28, 2011, 11:53:23 PM »

Quote

It contains Harry's thanks for the "fantastic hospitality" shown the British soldiers in the desert town. "I also understand that you have been 'trapped' by the ghastly British media, and therefore been misquoted no doubt which I'm sure wasn't expected."

Loved it! Such a subtle response to a horrendous report on the mayor. Even if the mayor expressed himself in such coarse and rude language, by sending him this letter, Harry has first of all indicated that the kind of language allegedly used by the mayor according to the papers is unacceptable (big embarrassment for the mayor if he did use these words), second he left room for the mayor to save face. Perfect response! I am glad he did not completely ignore such disparaging comments by the elected mayor of a city.

maddiepaj · « **Reply #12 on:** December 29, 2011, 01:05:59 AM »

wasn't it the dailymail that wrote that article? surprise surprise. their website is full of the most immature, drama-making, BS news ever. it's worst than perez hilton. i remember when lily allen cussed out katie nicholl for writing an article about her miscarriage...seems the dailymail doesn't learn from their mistakes.

Lothwen · « **Reply #13 on:** December 29, 2011, 01:10:43 AM »

Let me get this straight

The mayor of Gila Bend was misquoted in the DM, and Prince Harry wrote him a letter thanking him for his city's hospitality and telling him that [Harry] knows that the press wrote some mistruths, and gives him the information on who to complain to.

So it is the mayor who was misquoted, and the mayor who could chose to file a complaint. Harry was just letting him know that he understands what it feels like to be mistreated in the public eye. How is that a bad thing?

DayDream · « **Reply #14 on:** December 29, 2011, 02:38:14 AM »

^

Given how 'out of control' the media has become, I hope to see complaints made when papers go too far. It is one thing to speculate, but it is another thing to intentionally misquote and slander.
Harry's dislike of the media is well documented, and given how it negatively impacted his childhood I don't blame him for following the appropriate avenues and complaining.

Ben · « **Reply #15 on:** December 29, 2011, 02:00:39 PM »

Quote from: cinrit on December 28, 2011, 03:36:13 PM

^^ It's up to the individual to sue the media.

Cindy

It shouldn't be. They're not experts.

Lothwen · « **Reply #16 on:** December 29, 2011, 02:01:59 PM »

^An expert of what?

cinrit · « **Reply #17 on:** December 29, 2011, 02:30:44 PM »

Right ... you don't have to be an expert to sue. The attorney is the expert, and he/she tells you whether or not you've got a good case. If you do, the attorney takes over.

Cindy

holyrood27 · « **Reply #18 on:** December 29, 2011, 03:23:33 PM »

You can understand why harry is not a lover of the British Media, as they hounded his Mother.
I remember when the Prince's were younger and the media with their long lenses peeking over Sandringham wall, telling everyone what the Prince's got for Christmas..
It must get on their nerves not having a minutes peace.

Not forgetting Diana and the Press, a lot of stories they told were to sell newspapers, and every picture they took of her, they earnt a lot of money from.

BritishRoyals · « **Reply #19 on:** December 29, 2011, 06:14:26 PM »

I, for one, am glad this came to light. And I'm happy that we get to see Harry's (very thoughtful & sincere) handwritten letter to Gila Bend's mayor pointing out fault from British tabloids. I simply can't stand the Daily Mail's articles sometimes -- very often misleading, hyped, twisted and inaccurate, with the primary intention to sell and the tendency to blow things out of proportion. I am glad they corrected the mayor's misquote. And it's true that people victimized by the press do need to speak out. I'm glad Harry and the mayor fought for what was right.

sophiechloe · « **Reply #20 on:** December 29, 2011, 09:12:43 PM »

I think Harry is proving himself to be a spoilt git yet again!

Lothwen · « **Reply #21 on:** December 29, 2011, 09:17:30 PM »

^How?

Harry didn't make the complaint. The mayor of Gila Bend, AZ was "quoted" in the Daily Mail as warning against Prince Harry and the other soldiers. Harry wrote to the mayor, thanking him for his city's hospitality, and informed him of the quote in the DM, and gave him the information for the PPC if the mayor wanted to file a complaint.

Had the mayor actually made these comments he wouldn't have a leg to stand on,but if he didn't, then he has a case, and apparently he did.

I wonder, if it had just been Harry that the article attacked if Harry would have just let it go, but since it included remarks about his fellow soliders he wanted to straighten everything out?

sophiechloe · « **Reply #22 on:** December 29, 2011, 09:37:57 PM »

Quote from: sophiechloe on December 29, 2011, 09:12:43 PM

I think Harry is proving himself to be a spoilt git yet again!

Quote from: Lothwen on December 29, 2011, 09:17:30 PM

^How?

Harry didn't make the complaint. The mayor of Gila Bend, AZ was "quoted" in the Daily Mail as warning against Prince Harry and the other soldiers. Harry wrote to the mayor, thanking him for his city's hospitality, and informed him of the quote in the DM, and gave him the information for the PPC if the mayor wanted to file a complaint.

That's How - it came to the attention of the papers, where if You or I had complained, it would have been put to the bottom of the pile - sadly - Them and Us , them and us.....

Lothwen · « **Reply #23 on:** December 29, 2011, 09:46:07 PM »

But any one of us can write to the mayor of our city and complain. It's not Harry's fault if his letter gets read before Joe Smith's.

sophiechloe · « **Reply #24 on:** December 29, 2011, 09:54:18 PM »

^ No it's not, but it sure helps! Harry is just as self-entitled as his Brother. How many stories have we heard about normal folk being asked to make way for Harry at restaurants? One too many for my liking!