This campaign has turned into a witchhunt damaging innocent peoples reputations. What use is the money going into the fund to be used for? Will it be chasing alleged paedophiles & arbitarily executing them?

Is it racist that attention is focussed on 1 little blond girl when 100s of children in Darfur are dying?

A dark side to the constant pressure of the communications campaign is that Portugal's tourist industry is being damage, all detective resources utilised, families are becoming paranoid, charity funds being sucked up and sporting events becoming grieving occasions rather than joyous.

I hope the little girl is found soon before more damage is done.

William, Dubai, UAE

I could not agree more with your article and the above comments. It is frightening just how unbalanced and prejudicial the reporting of this investigation has been. It must be about time our media took a long hard look at how they frenzy over such sadly all too frequent cases. Their pursuit of audience figures and ultimately profit surely should not outweigh an individuals right to be treated fairly. Unfortunately it seems to, and for that the media should be ashamed.

paul martin, Wargrave,

couldnt agree more, As a friend of Rob Murats, I find it incredibly hard to believe that he has anything other than sincere intentions, However, i have been around long enough to know that you never really know anyone and there is a possibility, however small that he is guilty.

I think the press' reaction to all this has been very very irrisponsible. The poor guy is in peices and his family has had to go into hiding, all because he was considered "wierd" and "over helpful". As of right now, with the "evidence" available, i would still trust him with my child.

Rob, norwich, norfolk

I totally agree - my first instinct was along the "Ian Huntley" lines, but then I reconsidered. This guy's only crimes currently appear to be (1) having a daughter (2) having a glass eye (3) being overly helpful (4) having a relationship with someone who stil lives amicably with her ex-husband. The innuendo is horrendous - although is a wonderful example of media manipulation, after all we all know what to infer from "computers and mobile phones were removed".

It may well be that this guy is involved, but how is all this speculation helping? 100 years ago, they'd have lynched him already. Shocking.

J Price, Birmingham,

Exactly!

I am also fed up with the media coverage of the parents, treating them like minor celebs. In a paper today there is a photo of them out jogging. How does that help to find little Maddie?

LH, UK,

I watched the "breaking news" on Sky regarding John Murat and was shocked at the liberites the press took with this mans reputation based on nothing more than speculation and the pressing need to fill air time.

The quality of some of the comment put out was on a par with school yard gossip dressed up by people who should know better

Paul, Clitheroe, uk

Finally a balanced voice in the British press. Camilla has it spot on. BBC's Jane Hill reports have been nothing short of disgraceful: her parochial comments about how “different” the Portuguese police methods are, how “differently” they deal with the press, how “in England the system is so different” are quite frankly redundant and profoundly derogative.The Portuguese “difference” narrative has been used to exhaustion as a filler for the lack of real news – the lack of any new developments in this case has become the story per se.

Until Robert Murat’s villa search, the big issue was the “lack of information” imposed by the Portuguese “secrecy of justice” . The Portuguese police cannot avoid, I’m sure, but to feel disrespected and bullied 24hours a day on BBC. It is truly appalling.
As Portuguese journalist Eunice Goes’ said to BBC News a few days ago, it seems that “the British think that any country below the channel is a banana republic”. Indeed it seems. What a disgrace.

MM, London, UK

Unfortunately the media teams from the BBC, ITV et al, have to justify the enourmous expense of being in Portugal. As such, this story leads on every news programme, when we are intially told that nothing has happened and there is nothing to say. We are reminded at regular intervals during the news that nothing has happened, only to have another 'live' report at the end, where it is confirmed (again) that in the last half hour, absolutely nothing has happened. If this had been anything other than a middle class family involved, we would not have had the blanket coverage that they have, the rich would have avoided the publicity and the poor would have held no interest. Let the Portugese authorities get on with there job, inform us when there is (real) news and for goodness sake stop trying to scare every parent in the land into believing that their child could be abducted at any minute.

David Leslie, Perth, Scotland

Newspapers are in business to make money. They long, long ago discovered by stimulating, exciting and agitating the publics' emotions and opinions they richly achieve their goal (US telly has raised this concept to a new level - or sunk it to the pits of purgatory). With the goal in mind, being the first to report a "breaking story" or "update" becomes the holy golden grail. What are a few small inaccuracies and broken, ruined lives in view of the higher, loftier goal?

DanO, Mt. Vernon, USA

To little too late Camilla. Nothing gets in the way of the news....

Harry Wragg, Glasgow, UK

Agree with every word. Apart from that you should have mentioned Tom Stephen's actually killed himself aswell.

Everyone in this country should read this and take a long hard look at themselves. But i doubt they will.

I emailed the Express today to say how shocked and saddened i was with their headline today and journalism in general. I don't read the Express for the record.

Stopped buying papers along time ago. Got bored with the first 10 pages of reality TV but thats another story.

Rick Pritchard, Manchester, England

Well written article I have to agree with all you say, just hoping that none of the sensationalist coverage has hampered real effort to find little Madeline or caused her to be hurt in any way, Jackie

Jackie, Mayo, Ireland

Thank-you for saying what I've been thinking about the press coverage of this event.

This morning's Mirror with its utterly unsubstantiated "Russian pervert" story is yet another example.

Rev. Barry Unwin, Hebburn, England

I thoroughly agree. As usual the press are a double edged sword - they can help and they can hinder all in the same article! God help little Madeleine and her parents.

Trisha, Surrey,

Hear Hear

richard, Madrid, Spain

One of the very few balanced views aired to date. Would that the UK and Portuguese authorities combine to take action to prevent more excesses. After this trauma has its close those same authorities should, together, sift through the appalling live (knee jerk / hyena) reporting transmitted by both UK and Portuguese TV and act.

Will international communicators be big enough, or even care to learn from all this? Will any authority express a view? Will anyone take Camilla Cavendish’s article on board?

This horrible disappearance is a nightmare in every respect.

Hugh Stronge, V. Janelas, Portugal

You have summed up the state of the case quite beautifully. Like everyone who is following this story, and like everyone who is a parent of small children, I hope the little girl is brought to safety and her abductors caught and charged. But I have stopped reading British press coverage for precisely your reasons. What ever happened to the UK's precious Habeas Corpus or Innocent Until Proven Guilty, so beloved of the chattering press? Journalism used to be a noble profession. No more.

mark mcfarland, dubai, uae

Hear, hear. The press today conducts itself scandalously when it comes to open investigations, not caring about who they accuse or whose lives they ruin. I cannot believe how this man's life has been dissected and picked over, even to the point where his glass eye has come into play. Doesn't our next Prime Minister also have one?
Robert Murat may be ultimately guilty but that is for the courts and judicial process to decide and not the ravenous pack of journalists whose only concern is to sensationalise.

Rich Cole, Newcastle, UK

My heart goes out to the family in this really horrible case. The main thrust is to bring home Madeleine safely.

Children seem to be the most vulnerable to predators & the most gut wrenching to read about.

Hopefully the outcome of this kidnapping will be positive.

Norman

Norman, Baltimore, United States

Excellently written and bang on the money. It's at times like this that the British media make me sick.

JP, Sutton Coldfield, UK

You said it all!
And thank you for understanding that our laws and legal procedures are different but not worse than any others - we just work in a different way.
Also agree when you say that "We all long for a happy ending" - all over Portugal people are praying for that... Madeleine as suddenly become everyones child.

maria joão , lisboa, portugal

I agree with the content of this article in respect of the level of journalism used today. It is amazing to see what journalists will use as the foundation of a story. It is also a cheap trick to place 'concerns' next to each other, in the body of the text, without actually being so bold as to claim that they are true. This builds a case by vague association.

Mark, UK,

In the only interview I saw, Ms Campbell's most pressing indictment of Murat was that "he had a funny eye".

Investigative journalism of the highest order.

Sean, Epsom,

Thankyou for putting into words what I have been thinking.
In this country we are far too used to knowing things before even the police. That needs to be addressed. I feel the press have a great responsibility in this case, they can publicize the situation. Why not leave it at that and do a good service to Madeleines parents. Instead there is speculation which isn't helping. Lets all just concentrate on getting Madeleines distinctive features known all around the world and leave the investigation to the professionals.
The press should all unite and have Madeleines picture on their front page indefinately without need for a comment.
Newspapers are sent all over the world, eventually someone that matters will see it.

Tracey, Lancashire,

Thank God for the sense you write. People should pay for crimes but only when guilty! Is this something our press have forgotten in the rush for the exclusive headline? I think so.

Alistair Kipling, Birmingham,

Excellent commentary on what's been going on. The media coverage of this story is absolutely outrageous, and I don't think it has anything to do with 'finding Madeleine' and much more to do with feeding the appetites of a sick general public. The press only prints stories because the general public read them. The journalists involved in this sensationalist witch-hunt should be prosecuted wherever possible.

Jacq, Letchworth,

Camilla you summed up beatifully the one human instict that seems to please most people more than the truth - to blame someone. Most of our country's distinguished reporters are more interested in having someone pay for it; even if he is paying for someone else.

Great article!

Andrew, London,

Everyone sympathises with the McCann family and hopes for Madeleine's safe return. But the amount of attention being given to the story, in relation to other world issues, is ridiculously disproportionate. The thing reached a climax yesterday, with the risible spectacle of Labour MPs decked from end to end in yellow ribbons. What about the Iraqi children being slaughtered and mutilated daily? No yellow ribbons for them.

Andrew May, De Panne, Belgium

Ms Cavendish has said exactly what I've been saying since the press decided that he looks a bit odd and therefore must be guilty. Yesterday I felt moved to castigate two women in my office who were making such statements as "look at his eyes, you can tell he's evil" and "when they find him guilty, I hope someone gets him in prison." They were shocked and gave me the kind of look that made me think they thought I was Murat's partner in crime.

As someone who was once accused of something I didn't do, luckily trivial in comparison to this and not on the press' radar, I hope the police are left to get on with their work and the press desist from hanging the bloke before he's even been charged with anything. Then they should apologise to him publicly if it's discovered he's perfectly innocent, which at the moment, in the eyes of the law, he is!

Steve Lee, Gillingham, England

Trial by journalist seems to be far worse than trial by a jury comprising estate agents or used car salesmen.

The article contains many good reasons to avoid getting involved in anything. "Never volunteer" and "Always pass by on the other side" appear to be the best strategies in life. After all, the road to hell is still paved with good intentions.

Ray, Plymouth, UK

You mention in your article that the press has been able to get away with outrageous behaviour and you are right. The only thing that will happen as a result of the press appalling behaviour is that in future cases people offering to help where help is needed will just not get involved and the consequences could be dire. The press need reining in but who will do it?

katherine, london,

Thank goodness for some sensible comments from a journalist, at last!

sue, Ely, UK

You mention in your article that the press has been able to get away with outrageous behaviour and you are right. The only thing that will happen as a result of the appalling behaviour of the press is that in future cases people offering to help where help is needed will just not get involved and the consequences could be dire. The press need reining in but who will do it?

katherine, london,

We have many problems to deal with in Ireland but at least the laws governing the press during issues like this one in Portugal are adhered to the letter of the law and with good reason. Who would be to blame if this man was beaten up, or worse? If he has committed a crime can he now claim the the trial will be prejudiced?

Our need to have all crimes resolved within an hour on TV is surely driving this insatiable need for immediate outcomes? let the Portugese police do their job, they may actually be quite good at it!

will, dublin, ireland

That is one of the finest examples of honest journalism I have witnessed in many a long year.

Dave, Lincoln,

The names of anyone interviewed, arrested or even charged with any crime should not be released until and unless they have been found guilty.

Matthew, Ringwood, UK

Thats the first piece of responsible intelligent reporting I have read/seen on this matter. Why cannot the press stick to reporting news rather than trying to make it?

Captain Jon, Bham UK,