When I read last week that the Press Complaints Commission had censured FHM magazine for printing a photograph of a topless 14-year-old girl, I looked to the press for coverage and comment. Surely, I thought, newspapers that are so determined to root out “evil” paedophiles and to denounce “pervs” who view child pornography would have something to say. True, the magazine insisted she looked older than 14 and it has promised not to do it again – but I’ve a feeling I’ve heard those excuses somewhere before.mondaymediasection
Yet only the Guardian carried more than a paragraph and several papers ignored the story. There was not a word, for example, in the Sun, whose editor, Rebekah Wade, has always been such a sturdy opponent of paedophilia. That wouldn’t be – would it? – because the red-tops fear they might themselves be caught out one day.
Peter Wilby writing in the Guardian
Made me wonder too.
Edit 2024. Peter Wilby was arrested by the National Crime Agency (NCA) at his home in Essex in October 2022. In August 2023 he was convicted at Chelmsford Crown Court of making indecent images of children. For this he was given a 10-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and was placed on the sex offenders register for five years. He admitted to having a sexual interest in children and to having viewed indecent images since the 1990s.
Wikipedia
I suspect that this story points out a rather uncomfortable truth about how our culture views teenage sexuality. The Sun has, I believe, happily used topless models on their sixteenth birthday.
I think there is an awful lot of hypocrisy and lack of balance.
I’m really quite shocked. I wonder what view the childs parents had on the situation?
I actually bought the Guardian today, for lack of proper newspapers left in the shop. What a load of codswallop. Hmmph. Then again I don’t read the Sun either.
Do you look at the pictures?
Sometimes, but from a distance, warily.