Why you should never agree to speak a tabloid journalist
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This is a real eye-opening story about what can happen if you agree to be interviewed by a Daily Mail journalist for a 'lifestyle' piece.*
In summary, they lied about the subject of the article, made up 'facts' and supposed direct quotes from the woman. A judge agreed she had a case as her reputation had been damaged, the Mail agreed to settle out of court, but insisted she could either have an apology (no doubt a one-liner on page 44). OR a cash settlement, representing her expenses.
The poor woman was treated terribly by the Mail, and judging by the comments, this is quite common, but we never get to hear about it because it costs phenomenal amounts of money to sue for libel.
http://dlvr.it/FcpBv
In summary, they lied about the subject of the article, made up 'facts' and supposed direct quotes from the woman. A judge agreed she had a case as her reputation had been damaged, the Mail agreed to settle out of court, but insisted she could either have an apology (no doubt a one-liner on page 44). OR a cash settlement, representing her expenses.
The poor woman was treated terribly by the Mail, and judging by the comments, this is quite common, but we never get to hear about it because it costs phenomenal amounts of money to sue for libel.
http://dlvr.it/FcpBv
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Oops sorry, I didn't know there was a dedicated DM thread. Not sure whether to look at it or not, might be bad for my blood pressure!
It makes me so cross that they can get away with printing lies about real people, safe in the knowledge that most people don't have the money or resources to fight them
Jump forward over 30 years and I read an article by a Daily Mail reporter (not the above guy) bragging about how he 'broke the story' of the Yorkshire Ripper during his time as a cub reporter at the very same YEP. He took great pride in retelling the story of how he tracked down Sonia Sutcliffe's elderly and frail parents late at night and told them about the arrest, much to their shock and dismay. He was actually bristling with pride at what he had done. Total scumbag. I guess he considers himself rather 'distingushed', now he has graduated to the Mail.
It's not fair to tar all tab reporters with the same brush, but some of them are mercenary scumbags, who won't, as they say, let the 'facts' get in the way of a good story.
ETA: Just been reading and re-reading the article referred to by the OP. What a horrendous story. The great thing now, however, is that we have the 'freedom' to speak on sites such as DS and highlight these situations, thus holding up a mirror to these people and the organisations which they hide behind.