The Ethics of Journalism !

 It has long been a fact of life that scandal sells newspapers and that criteria equally applied to radio and television. The apex of any journalists career was to break a " scoop " story under his or her by-line and that brought fame and fortune.

Probably the most trusted news source in the English speaking world was the British Broadcasting Corporation.   " Aunty ", as the BBC was called was meticulous in checking stories and twenty-five years ago a staff journalist named Martin Bashir secured an interview with Princess Diana on the BBC's Panorama programme.

The public was aware of friction between Charles, the Prince of Wales and his wife, Diana but in this candid interview it was revealed that Charles was maintaining a mistress.  Princess Diana made it clear that " there were three of us in this marriage. "  From there the split widened until it culminated in a Royal divorce.

Eventually, whistle blowers made the BBC aware of the tactics Bashir used to con Princess Diana into granting that famous interview. He used the facilities of the BBC to fake invoices and bank statements that suggested that members of her staff and trusted advisers were spying on Diana and revealing her marriage problems to the press.

Princess Diana became paranoid.  She was virtually a prisoner in her own home and her husband continued to flaunt his mistress openly. Her family believe  that this whirlwind of publicity was partly responsible for her tragic death in a car crash in Paris.

Now - twenty-five years later - the good name and trust in the BBC has been sullied by the actions of that news organization when they learned of Bashir's despicable conduct to gain that interview.   They simply " covered it up " and orchestrated a campaign to maintain silence.

Staff who raised doubts about Bashir's behaviour were pushed out of their jobs and others were terminated.  The BBC sacked Bashir, but rehired him years later  when time had taken these public events from people's memories.

In the interview Princess Diana made it clear that Charles did not deserve to be the future king, and this revision of a royal scandal is coming at a critical time for the British monarchy.  Queen Elizabeth is in the twilight of her reign and according to protocol Charles will inherit the throne on her death.

The British monarchy is one of the last remaining in a changing world and Charles is now an old man with peculiar habits.  Along with the title of King he will automatically become head of the Church of  England.  The fact that he married his mistress after Diana's death may not go down well with many in the Church of England congregation.

It also seems that trust in the BBC has been badly shaken.