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Don't Forget the Women

I have always thought that being a royal reporter is one of the most boring gigs in journalism. Its practitioners would undoubtedly tell me otherwise, but it’s never seemed that conducive to digging around and getting scoops. You’re mostly being fed information from the royal household(s).

Sometimes, though, you are on the biggest story around. Today, that is certainly the case. Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, formerly His Royal Highness Prince Andrew, was arrested this morning. He was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, accusations he denies.

Since then, royal reporters and commentators have been on screen constantly. (I even turned off the Winter Olympics to watch the coverage!) As the Sun’s Political Editor, Jack Elsom noted:

Fair play. Got to cash in when you can!

Such figures can seem too close to the people they cover. Alastair Bruce, Sky News royal commentator, is generally fine on celebratory things like coronations and weddings. This morning, though, I found his performance deeply uncomfortable. It was almost like Bruce was sad that Andrew was facing the accusations, mentioning the late Queen and Andrew's service in the Falklands. There was no mention of the bravery and suffering of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, which should remain central to the story. It was as if the issue was that this is difficult for the royal family.

Julie K. Brown has also been overlooked in all this. Indeed, I did not know about her work until a friend pointed it out to me earlier today. Brown’s reporting for the Miami Herald led to the arrests of both Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. She tracked down over 60 women who said they were victims of the disgraced financier, who lived in West Palm Beach.

At all levels of this awful, dramatic story, let’s not forget the women.

Podcast: Covering the Westminster Chaos – With Kevin Schofield

It is an extraordinary time in British politics… and has been for about a decade. The media plays a key role in that, and is an established part of the environment in Parliament. Sometimes, though, it seems like a bit of game for all involved. And just how to the hacks get their stories? Following a week in which Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was nearly ousted, HuffPost UK political editor Kevin Schofield discusses covering the chaos in Westminster.

This week’s episode is sponsored by Clean my Mac. Get Tidy Today! Try 7 days free and use my code ADDITION for 20% off at clnmy.com/ADDITION​

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