Friday 14 December 2012

Abchat Weekly Wrap Up: Pride Comes Before a Call

It has been a week since the suicide of the nurse at the centre of the ‘Kate Hoax’ and in that time, the name Jacintha Saldanha has been in the news far more than the Duchess of Cambridge herself. While public figures must make their peace with media scrutiny, in the wake of the Leveson report on the ethics of the press, the whole incident is proof that the heavy weight of the media can be fatal to vulnerable individuals who have no wish for the spotlight.

The media quickly homed in on the fact that such poor imitations of the Royals fooled the nurses, leaving them open to ridicule and humiliation – but at that point still anonymous. The breach of confidence was embarrassing for the hospital but no individuals were named and shamed and details about Catherine were largely in the public domain already. Aside from being a morally questionable prank using a hospital patient for entertainment, can the DJs actually be blamed for the death? Neither the presenters, nor anyone else could reasonably have predicted the tragedy that unfolded. Both the media and public certainly have experience of inappropriate prank calls; the voicemail Russell Brand and Jonathon Ross left for Andrew Sachs in 2008 was both incredibly personal and offensive. How far do prank calls need to go before broadcasters learn their lesson?

Jacintha’s death was in no way targeted or premeditated, but it was also no accident. It is difficult to say where the blame lies and it certainly doesn’t lie squarely with one party. Both the media and the public, who reacted so strongly to the hoax on social networks, surely had a hand.

Perhaps without the increasingly competitive nature of the media and its hunger for any snippet relating to the Duchess of Cambridge, the story of the Australian hoax may not have come at such a high cost.



Abchaps were in Moscow this week for a site visit with our newest Russian resources client.

We attended the EV Investor Club breakfast, hosted by K&L Gates LLP featured key note speaker Lord Drayson and presentations from some exciting companies in the EV sector, and had a number of electric vehicles on display. Read more on the Electric Vehicle event.

Our Life Sciences team participated in the 12th annual Genesis 2012, hosted by One Nucleus and SCRIP Intelligence, which featured some great talks from Rt Hon David Willetts MP, SCRIP Editor Mike Ward and Baroness Susan Greenfield. #genesis2012

Abchaps also enjoyed a Clay Shoot Day with Crow Clarke Whitehill.


UBS faces $1 billion fine to settle allegations that it manipulated Libor.

The UK Government gives fracking the backing as Ministers approve Cuadrilla’s request to resume their shale gas exploration in Lancashire.

HMV announces the Group is in talks with banks to discuss its future following a tough first half year of trading. The Group, who reported losses of £36.1m and a 10% slump in like-for-like sales, hold £176m of debt but claim that administration is not “part of [their] plan”.

Diageo called time on its potential acquisition of the tequila brand, Jose Cuervo earlier this week. Speculation now shifts towards a potential buy-out of Beam, the bourbon whiskey producer and owner of the Sauza tequila brand, from the Japanese brewer Suntory.

STOCKWATCH: FTSE 100 company Whitbread plc, saw shares jump over 4% to 2530p following the reporting of strong interim figures on Monday morning. Their coffee house brand, Costa, saw sales continue to out perform its previous trading period and growth continued to be forecast; aided by the mis-fortunes currently faced by rival Starbucks.



Robert Finlay has joined Westhouse Securities this week from Canaccord Genuity. He has been appointed Head of Corporate Finance and Corporate Broking and joins along with Finlay Thompson who boosts the company’s sales team and specializing in oil and gas.

Paul Compton has left WH Ireland and Richard Killingbeck, Head of Private Wealth Management, will assume the duties of acting Chief Executive.

Ken McMeikan will be joining private equity owned Brakes Group as Chief Executive, leaving his post as Chief Executive at Greggs, the bakers.


"Fracking"
- drilling down whilst injecting water, sand and chemicals to create mini explosions to shatter and crack hard shale rocks to release the gas from within.


Popular landscape photographer Ansel Adams’ exhibition: Photography from the Mountains to the Sea at the National Maritime Museum is causing quite a stir. It is on until April 2013 and is definitely worth the £7 visit.

Get festive with
Carols by Candlelight at Union Chapel in Upper Street, free entry on Sunday evening.

Do your Christmas stocking shopping at the pop-up
Kilburn to Kensal Winter Market at the Albert which finishes on Sunday.

Follow us on Twitter
@AbchurchComms

No comments:

Post a Comment