Yesterday the story broke that Prince Harry had been serving in Afghanistan for the past 10 weeks. The British press agreed to a news blackout to protect Harry and his fellow soldiers. Harry was able for the first time in his young life; be a normal person doing something he had longed to do.
With the story now being reported he is forced to leave Afghanistan without completing his tour.
Story Here Should the story have been reported? when does ethics trump the responsibility of the media to report the news?
Personally given this story has no major implications on anyone's life it should have not been reported. There is one difference between the UK and US reporting and that is the UK even with their thirst for the salicious still retain some modicum of ethical responsibility. They won't show the face of young children of those they write stories about, we do. They understood the implications of Harry's risk and that of his fellow soldiers and respected the request to not report on his being in Afghanistan, we didn't.
Do we need to know everything? when is it a story that should be reported v. a story that could wait to be reported?
Thoughts
