Have The UK tabloid Press gone well Beyond their Remit of Influence?

In light of the controversy surrounding the MPs "expenses row" Have the Media and some Newspapers blown this story out of all proportion in order to sell , manipulate and influence the general public as this has surely been the norm for years !|||This time no. With the Maddie McCann story yes.|||Certainly not blown out of all proportion, as it is an issue that is relevant, important and is clearly bothering an awful lot of people.





It would seem that when the dishonourable members changed the rules to allow themselves exorbitant and unreasonable expenses, the media missed the story, and it only came to light when the Freedom of Information Act was applied and the truth was uncovered.





The story grows even now, as some MP's have attempted to keep the revelations secret, and the Speaker of the lower house has asked for police to uncover the person who leaked the information.





It will, however, influence the general public. It is quite remarkable that it remained a secret for so long, but it is important, even vital, that MP's should have to suffer the same laws, as they do live in the same country as the rest of us. No privileged group, free of the laws of the land, should be making laws that apply to everyone else except themselves, as it separates them from the reality that all of the rest of us peasants have to struggle with every day.|||I think its a sign of our '24 hour' society we live in now. News corporations need to sell the story to us 24 hours a day. Where-as 20 years back you would have breakfast news, lunch time, evening then 10pm news, now they have to fill every second with info.


I believe that they have reacted this way for a number of reasons. It can be taken a sign of public frustration with the current economic situation (using it as a platform to attack the Commons) %26amp; you could also contribute it to the up-coming elections.


But on the other hand, MP's use the media very cleverly when they need to, so will be interesting to see how the dust settles on this one|||Certainly. I mean what matters more - MPs expenses or the fact that no political party (other than the Lib Dems) is opposed to the ID Card scheme on civil liberties grounds? (Do you really trust the Tories to scrap it, once they've found some other more disastrous way to save a few bob?)


The tabloids have always been way beyond their remit of influence - look at the Ross/Brand storm in an espresso-cup!