Doctorkenyon’s Weblog

The Stig

I felt a sense of pride when it was revealed that journalists had known about Prince Harry’s location in Afghanistan last year but chose not to report it. For a long time the temptation to write such a huge story must have been tremendous. But, to the credit of every journalist who knew, no one did. Until one person let it slip. And that’s all it takes, one person to ruin such a beautiful thing.

Now it’s happened again. Although not as important (I’m sure some Top Gear fans wouldn’t agree with me there…), the real identity of the Stig has been known to many people in the media for a long time. But no one said it because everyone agreed the mystery was worth more than the accolades of breaking the story. Then that one bad egg screws it up. His editors probably gave the green light so shame on them too.

It’s the same principal with slander, libel and all the other things journalists are often accused of. It’s only a handful that ruin things for everyone else and give us all a bad name.