Thursday, April 11, 2013

Why on earth does the BBC have a regular TV news programme for kids if that programme doesn't report important stories relevant to kids?

Paris Brown was Britain's first youth Police and Crime Commissioner, appointed last week to represent the interests of children and young people in Kent.

Last weekend it emerged that Paris Brown had been responsible for some homophobic and racist tweets. Ms Brown told Sky News that the tweets weren't acceptable and said "I do sincerely apologise if they have caused any offence at all."

The story grew and grew on the UK news media, but Newsround steadfastly kept mum on the controversy.

Paris and her boss, Ann Barnes, were interviewed for the BBC by Stuart Flinders. Ms Brown told Stuart that she was "definitely up to the job." She said her tweets were taken out of context and were not meant to offend, insisting she'd been "misinterpreted." Paris told Stuart that she is not homophobic or racist, and she doesn't condone drug taking. She didn't want people judging her "based on a few stupid things" which, said Paris, "were not meant as they're portrayed."

Tuesday morning's Newsround was introduced by Ore Oduba -

Ore: Hi everybody, you're watching Newsround with me, Ore. Here's everything you need to know this Tuesday morning.

Now you might think that young people, especially young people in Kent, would "need to know" about the controversy surrounding the person chosen to represent them on matters of policing and crime. But, for some reason, Newsround still had not a word to say. Neither was there anything about the controversy on Newsround's website.

It was only after a press conference later that day, at which Paris said she would be stepping down, that Newsround deigned to report the story - and then only via the website, and only in the most perfunctory terms.


BBC News Channel report about resignation of Kent youth PCC


So why was Newsround so reluctant to deal with this news?

Once again a Newsround editorial decision is seriously in question.

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