2:32pm Monday 8th February 2010
AFTER just watching the nightly national news, I have to say through your letters page how disgusted I was to see the likes of a mere footballer called John Terry take centre stage as the top news story of the day!
This was followed by the scandal of the greedy MP's expenses etc, and finally, in less than a minutes coverage, the reporting of another repatriation of two of our brave soldiers through Wootton Bassett. The last story being given over to the youngest person to sign up to the forces in the second world war being at last given the recognition of a headstone.
Since when have 'plastic' celebrities and vastly overpaid, over glamorised footballers become of more value, importance and newsworthiness than the current demise of our armed forces who are there to serve, at times paying the ultimate price of severe injury or worse?
When pop singers and reality stars (a contradiction if I ever I heard one) get more recognition than the doctors, nurses and emergency service personnel of this country, then I really do start to fear for our society.
There will be those who'll blame the media for putting these stories to the fore in the papers and on TV, but the media, while having their own agenda, only pander to the whims of the public I suppose.
It's probably a bit too much to ask for a little more perspective in news reporting but surely, the nation needs to get their priorities and values into perspective too.
HELEN CAPEL Swindon Road Wroughton Swindon
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