[A-List] UK news media: The Sun

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

To the litany of shit that this outlet, owned by Rupert Murdoch, has ladled
upon the British public for decades is now added this grotesque example of
gutter sensationalism. The good news is that it is so disgusting that it may
provoke a boycott. The bad news is that it takes something like this to do
it.

----

Public rally to Bruno's fight for recovery
CAMERON SIMPSON
The Herald, September 24 2003

FRANK Bruno received overwhelming public support yesterday despite being hit
below the belt by The Sun which headlined its first edition with "Bonkers
Bruno locked up", after the former heavyweight boxing champion was admitted
to a psychiatric hospital.

The paper, which claims to have the finger on the pulse of the common man,
was forced into a humiliating about-turn after a storm of protest over the
front-page headline and story that labelled him a "nutcase".

As the first editions of The Sun rolled off the presses, enraged callers
contacted BBC Radio 5 Live to support Bruno and call for a boycott of the
tabloid, with some claiming it could prove to be another Hillsborough.

On that occasion, when 96 Liverpool fans died after being crushed to death
on a football terrace, Kelvin MacKenzie, the then editor, badly misjudged
the public mood by running a story suggesting that Liverpool fans had robbed
dead fans and were to blame for the tragedy.

Realising the paper had again misjudged the public mood, Rebekah Wade, the
paper's editor, later changed the headline to read "Sad Bruno in Mental
Health Home", with the accompanying story labelling him a "hero".

However, the paper was pilloried by mental health charities and politicians
for betraying the "worst kind of ignorance" towards those with mental health
problems. A spokeswoman for The Sun also displayed further insensitivity by
refusing to comment.

Marjorie Wallace, the chief executive of Sane, said: "It is both an insult
to Mr Bruno and damaging to the many thousands of people who endure mental
illness to label him as 'bonkers' or 'a nutter' and having to be 'put in a
mental home'.

"One in a hundred people suffers serious mental breakdown in their lives,
are treated in hospital as for any other illness, and the majority return
home within weeks. Such ignorant reporting does both the media and the
public a huge disservice," she said.

"We call on the newspapers involved to apologise to Mr Bruno and to all
those who experience the stigma such attitudes inflame."

Dr Liam Fox, shadow health secretary, said such negative coverage could stop
other people coming forward to get the care they needed.

As the row raged, Bruno saw his former wife and their children as he
continued to undergo tests after being sectioned under the Mental Health
Act.

Hospital staff were deluged with hundreds of goodwill messages for the
former boxing champion, who also received floral bouquets and backing from
tooting motorists.

Bruno was admitted to a psychiatric hospital after police officers assisted
in removing the 41-year-old on Monday night from his home near Brentwood,
Essex, according to sources.

Kevin Lueshing, Bruno's friend and agent, said: "Frank is in hospital for a
bit of time to get some rest and help. He will stay there as long as it
takes to get him back on track."