Accusations of Sensationalism don't equal Censorship!

So I find myself a bit at odds this morning with several things in the newspapers, a couple of them related in a rather strange way.

Paco Nuñez takes exception in the Tribune (and reproduced in the letters section of the Guardian) to the Prime Minister's observation that the local press seems sometimes a bit too preoccupied with crime and those are the headlines that seem most days to figure most prominently at the top of the front page.

I must be getting old or something ... I find myself pretty well in agreement with the PM - at least on the observation that the Press sometimes sensationalises.

And if the Press pretends it doesn't, it loses credibility all on its own.

Certainly a response which essentially cries "Censorship" is taking the "best defense is a good offense" truism a bit too far indeed.

As much as I would champion the role of the press and value its freedom I said a couple weeks ago that headlines are sometimes a bit out of hand.

Many many years ago a couple kids at a school pretty close to the the Tribune dropped a couple cherry bombs in the boys toilet and blew it to high heavens. As far as I can remember it didn't make it to the newspapers, as messy as it was!

I can see the headlines today ... "Messy explosion at private school places children's lives in danger!" In bold 48 point type.