´óÏó´«Ã½

I thought Mark Urban's report from Al Doura was brilliant; it was courageous, humane and fair. Well expressed and very moving. And we shouldn't forget his cameraman. Thanks to the Newsnight team.
Adrian

Mark Urban is right that going around kicking doors in does not make you popular. Though that is what armies do and we did in Nationalist areas of Northern Ireland for nearly thirty years. What a shame that the ´óÏó´«Ã½ could not report that with the clarity that prevails when it comes across someone else's mistakes. To report on the Iraq surge without reflecting on our own experiences within the UK over many decades is quite odd.

I just wanted to say that the report about Charlotte Ester's journey through cancer was great. The way in which she battled through it should be a lesson to all teenagers. As her father said, she truly was inspirational.

Thank you for showing it.

The ´óÏó´«Ã½ is a public service broadcaster. Much as we might sympthise with the plights of Alan Johnston and Charlotte Estler, how on Earth can the ´óÏó´«Ã½ possibly justify promoting the causes of their own employees and their children to the exclusion of others who are equally deserving of the attention? This leaves a very bad taste in the mouth. Please can the ´óÏó´«Ã½ return to providing an objective view? Your employees are not uniquely singled out among all those who suffer in this world.

Richard Royce

Richard (Comment 4.) appears to have missed the point. By using Gavin Esler and his daughter Charlotte, the ´óÏó´«Ã½ has more effectively drawn attention to this issue. Gavin is seen regularly on TV. The nature of celebrity means that he and Charlotte provide a better means of catching people's attention, rather than a completely unknown person. Though it's hard to separate, Gavin was profiled in his capacity as a father first, a TV personality second, and a ´óÏó´«Ã½ employee last. Thank you Gavin and Charlotte, for allowing the ´óÏó´«Ã½ in and drawing attention to the issue so well.

Charlotte Estler - wow

It is 23.48 on the 14th May and I have never been inspired enough to write into something like this! I have just watched your inspiring report on News night by Charlotte.

I loved her down to earth approach and obvious passion to help others by talking about her experience – I am totally blown away that she is so young yet has a great out look – very inspiring. I am someone who works with people with Cancer and I can tell you that I am sure I will hear many positive comments about your report - well done and thank you.

Jasmin Gupta

I don't watch Newsnight every night, but the times recently I've caught it I've been marginally underwhelmed. Where were the arresting films on neglected issues, items that really made me sit up and think? Last night's two films by Charlotte Esler and Mark Urban were outstanding and did exactly that - original, compelling and providing real insight and fresh understandings. Congratulations.

I was appalled to see the report on Charlotte Esler. Partly of course because she is the daughter of one of Newsnight's employees (impartiality?), but mostly because this sort of human interest story is inappropriate for Newsnight. I mean no criticism of her, but her father should know better.
Even on the news this stuff would be weak, but Newsnight? Back to commenting on the news please.

"Mark, get your passport, your off to Iraq". Mark can be forgiven if he gulped when he was told of this assignment. The very idea of going to that place must put a shiver down the spine of even the most seasoned reporter, "oh, and you will be shuttled around in a humvee and shadowing young trigger happy and twitchy US military personel in an area known for high insurgent activity".
One reason why i have always liked Mark urban's reports is he does not overgloss or editorialise too much, and in this report, he again tells it as it is, one comment that he made, and we can all agree on: the presence of US military is what causes the violence and insecurity, but the US military have to stay put until security improves; the irony of that statement stares at you from the painful experience of fearful Iraqi eyes.

When gavin was asked by his daughter, what was his thoughts when he discovered the potential serious nature of her illness, Gavins response was what you would expect from any father; fear and worry but because his daughter carried on as normal and her attitude to her illness and treatment was positive, helped him to come to terms with it. Having a positive attitude is just as important as good medical treatment and thankfully in this case, his daughters cancer is in remission.

Since the ´óÏó´«Ã½ are having a cancer care week, i do hope they report on the scandalous cost of cancer drugs and the power these pharmaceutical companies have over the NHS and other medical providers. I have no problem with companies making healthy profits(excuse very cheap pun) but its well known that the research and production cost of life saving drugs do not warrant the high cost these companies eventually charge for their drugs; their profits are massive and the way they operate boarders on criminality, these blood sucking corporate drug dealer entities are making a fortune, the b*S.(read buggers).

This was an excellent programme. Mark Urban's report was superb and proof that the ´óÏó´«Ã½ can still produce high quality analytical frontline news- in contrast to the sad post- Hutton quality of coverage by Radio 4/5
Charlotte Esler was really inspiring.
However, Could Michael Crick just find out whether we are paying for the Thane of Cawdor's election campaign?

This was an excellent programme. Mark Urban's report was superb and proof that the ´óÏó´«Ã½ can still produce high quality analytical frontline news- in contrast to the sad post- Hutton quality of coverage by Radio 4/5
Charlotte Esler was really inspiring.
However, Could Michael Crick just find out whether we are paying for the Thane of Cawdor's election campaign?

This was an excellent programme. Mark Urban's report was superb and proof that the ´óÏó´«Ã½ can still produce high quality analytical frontline news- in contrast to the sad post- Hutton quality of coverage by Radio 4/5
Charlotte Esler was really inspiring.
However, Could Michael Crick just find out whether we are paying for the Thane of Cawdor's election campaign?

Are we to look forward to each Newsnight presenter telling a story about their family lives ?

Newsnight was overdosed on Justin and Bea and ethical man,now Gavin has taken the floor.Jeremy Vine about the birth of his child and midwives.

I have great sympathy for Gavin don't get me wrong,but there are a lot of people with similar plights who are never heard of.
no status no money therefore =
no voice

It is indeed a brave film about Charlotte Esler. It reflects how life is precious. I thought that her film is inspiring to people who suffer from it.

"I have great sympathy for Gavin don't get me wrong,but there are a lot of people with similar plights who are never heard of.
no status no money therefore =
no voice"

I understand Ms Debate's comment, but surely the whole point of Charlotte's feature was to give voice to a group who have little voice - children.

Lets be honest, the ´óÏó´«Ã½ could have asked many children with cancer to do this, but surely asking a child, who probably knows more about the way that TV works than many adults, due to her father's job, is sensible in making sure you get a good article for the programme. Also, as a result, I would assume that it would be easier to ensure the finished article is suitable for inclusion as opposed to getting a piece from another child and having to edit it drastically, and probably upsetting the child in the process.

I'm certain that Gavin would have had some major doubts about doing this (whether it was the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s idea or Charlotte's) but well done for allowing it to happen.

But above all, well done Charlotte!

Charlotte Eslers positive attitude about her cancer was very moving and i'm sure it made a big contribution in her battle with this dreadfull disease. By the way she has the makings of a top rank journalist, watch out Gavin!. My older sister has lung and liver cancer as a result of a melanoma on her arm which was removed seven years ago and is currently undergoing chemo with the same possitive attitude as Charlotte, I prey that the outcome is the same.

"I have great sympathy for Gavin don't get me wrong,but there are a lot of people with similar plights who are never heard of.
no status no money therefore =
no voice"

I understand Ms Debate's comment, but surely the whole point of Charlotte's feature was to give voice to a group who have little voice - children.

Lets be honest, the ´óÏó´«Ã½ could have asked many children with cancer to do this, but surely asking a child, who probably knows more about the way that TV works than many adults, due to her father's job, is sensible in making sure you get a good article for the programme. Also, as a result, I would assume that it would be easier to ensure the finished article is suitable for inclusion as opposed to getting a piece from another child and having to edit it drastically, and probably upsetting the child in the process.

I'm certain that Gavin would have had some major doubts about doing this (whether it was the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s idea or Charlotte's) but well done for allowing it to happen.

But above all, well done Charlotte!

What did we learn from Mark Urban's film? The short answer is nothing. The US military's strategy of embedding reporters is a brilliant ploy to give the impression that the reporters are actually reporting something but in fact the embedded journalists are only repeating the official American Army line according to US military guidelines. Urban never asked any hard questions and by showing that the US army is treatingn its prisoners humanely did a great disservice to Newsnight viewers. I visited my family in Iraq four months ago and although I was never arrested everyone I knew who was arrested told me that they were punched and kicked by the American troops when they raided their houses in the middle of the night and took their pictures for no reason what so ever. May be it's time for Mark Urban or other Newsnight journalists to be embedded with the Iraqi people instead of the American Army.
Ahmed Ali Abbas

Ahmed, sadly, if a white British reporter is embedded with the Iraqi people, there's quite a high likelihood that he/she'll be kidnapped and beheaded, and I feel that'd be a bit beyond the call of duty. Speaking of which, I'd like to disagree with an earlier commenter who said that the ´óÏó´«Ã½ shouldn't be reporting the cause of Alan Johnston so prominently. I feel that people like Mr Johnston take huge risks to make us aware of what's going on in dangerous parts of the world, and the ´óÏó´«Ã½ is quite right to 'lobby on his behalf' in its programmes, by reminding the viewing public of him, and to show solidarity with him.

I come from a country which was largely affected by the Chernobyl radioactive fallout and consequentially saw a huge increase in various types of cancer, especially among children. I was myself treated from ovarian (pre)cancer. For me, Charlotte has managed to articulate one thing very clearly – we are all vulnerable to this disease, it can happen to any one of us, without any particular reason for that; therefore it’s not a curse, and this should be understood in our societies, first of all by those who are suffering from cancer. You can be, like Charlotte, from a well-off family, eating healthily and doing sports regularly, and you can still get it. But life goes on, and not only does it go on, but it can go on ‘to the fullest’, and you can enjoy an absolutely normal life style. I think Charlotte’s report should be publicised as widely as possible, especially among children suffering from cancer, as, in my view, it is extremely powerful to show a cancer fighting journey from a child’s perspective. I once came across a web-site of a Ukrainian charity raising money for children suffering from cancer who can’t get drugs and treatments they need, as the national health service can’t provide for them. Most of these children come from very poor families and remote villages, many parents can’t even afford to buy fruit for them. They travel to bigger cities for treatment and spend months in hospitals and thus find themselves in very closed communities. But the stories that these kids tell about how they live with pain, while waiting until the money is raised for their treatment, are compelling. What is seen in these stories is that they want very much to be healthy and are ready to go through whatever they have to, but what they do need to know is that they are not alone in this. I am sure that seeing a story like Charlotte’s would have given both these children and their parents so much encouragement and strength to carry on with their struggle. Making this story told by a daughter of a celebrity adds enormous power to it, as people see that this happens to ‘celebrities’ too, as it does to anyone else, and all have to fight for life the same way. I am saying this as one who comes from society where such things would never be made public, which is a shame, as most would welcome it and find it very beneficial. Many thanks to Charlotte and Gavin for the courage to put it up and congratulations to Charlotte for a very compelling and professional story! Good luck with everything!

At the risk of sounding totally unoriginal... Charlotte Esler's report was truly inspirational!

I was diagnosed last year at the age of 34 with mediastinal non hodgkins lymphoma. I have 'no status, no money (well, some but not much)and no voice in the media'. However, I felt that Charlotte's report was an accurate and intelligent representation of my own experience. It's the story i would have told.

Furthermore, on the issue of impartiality (comment 4),when is news reporting ever truly unbiased? In this case there is openness and honesty about the family connection and how Charlotte came to take part in the programme allowing closer scrutiny. How often do we get such insight into how news items are made?

More importantly, i would argue that becoming a cancer patient can be for many a disempowering experience. How groundbreaking then to see a 14 year old young woman present this report on a programe such as Newsnight. To see her so competently interview a consultant, polititian and her father, who happens to be a news reporter, was great. How often do children and young people get to do this?

Charlotte's report did raise the issue of treatments available on the NHS. Echoing Comment 10 I would welcome further critical investigation by Newsnight into the issues surrounding funding and access to cancer treatments and the pharmacutical industry.

Thankyou Charlotte!

Charlotte Esler's story and report was so worthy of its place in the programme. Understandably it drew no conclusions but simply presented the story. For me it pointed to four vital lessons that most need to absorb:

* Young people, so much demonised and infantalised in our society, are often outstandingly able to take decisions and understand and cope when it matters and they have the necessary information, and are individuals deserving all respect. Many young people who have survived or are dealing with such situations face quite unnecessary challenges in coping with a society that habitually rejects that lesson. That is determined to push them through the same sausage maker, determined to teach them that they must do things for the sake of it, when they have learned better; that every day is valuable, amongst other facts. A society that, far from cherishing them as we might think was their due, rejects them as misfits.

* Treatment of life-threatening conditions in those we love is not necessarily the best it could be and that needs surveillance. Fortunately Charlotte Esler needed treatment after the centre realised its protocols were inferior to those in other countries and remission rates are now high, but how come they still don't protect their patients from losing their hair when it is, quite understandably a factor in accepting treatment, and yet more to upset their patients and disrupt their lives? Since the same happened to friend of mine 30 years ago (and there was protection available then too). I wonder if the doctors mostly being balding men has anything to do with it. Hair doesn't always grow back, and is far more central to people's identity than doctors mostly realise. Saving life is wonderful, but taking away much of the life that the person lived before (referring to hair loss and much more), at the same time, unnecessarily, is not. Try Googling "Paxman Head Cooler", for example, and see the picture with this[1] ´óÏó´«Ã½ story about cancer care in France.

* The genomics that will warn us of susceptibilities to such conditions, will help precisely determine the treatments and maximise both the success and the value, need to be funded and grown as quickly as possible. Like, where did Charlotte's susceptibility come from - something she obviously didn't dare to ask? The Blair government has been enlarging genetics services, which is one of their under-appreciated policies, but the potential is vast, and the necessary integration with the rest of the NHS has hardly begun. When you know that particular diseases are quite likely to be in your future then you need to know how to avoid them, how to watch for the first signs, where to turn immediately if they appear, not be faced with doctors whose minds are formed around the tradition of gradual diagnosis or whose training and knowledge is outdated and confused. But you also need confidentiality - which this government seems bent on destroying in medical matters - so that everything isn't overshadowed by the knowledge.

* The necessary treatments must be available to all, as quickly as possible. Which isn't a matter of spending everything on health care, as shareholders in pharmaceutical companies are gambling, but of excellent diagnostics and grasping the whole system of research and approvals and marketing and making it socially responsible, internationally. Determining that the right to life and equality, wherever possible, tops (but does not extinguish) the right to profit. Presently maximising prices is everything in pharmaceuticals in the West, and it will take political and international collaboration to overturn - which is unlikely to be high on the agenda of a new Prime Minister totally at one with the values of The City.

A system from which the money for health care is increasingly sucked away by drug companies who have done everything to increase the prices of new products as well as the hope for their efficacy threatens not only those who might benefit form those impossibly expensive treatments, but all of us, and the equality and humanity upon which our society is said to be based.

[1]

Mark Urban and his cameraman (doesn't Mark usually work with a camerawoman in the Middle-East?) were far beyond the calls of duty in the depths of hostile territory, but then it was a normal shopping area before our forces and the Americans invaded and destabilised the country - as one of the many, very impressive American soldiers rightly pointed out. If our country destroys the lives of the people of a country then we should - at least - certainly see the results, even if it is a slanted view - from the US Army post.

I wanted to say to the soldier who candidly told of how his respect for the local people is destroyed by their tolerating the activity of those who plant the bombs, that their side of the story would probably be that they have no one to trust to turn to against such activities, and to live like that is to live in hell. How foolish it would be to trust Americans who will not be there in a few weeks, or Iraqi forces that are widely infiltrated, or neighbours who might be about to leave and might have unstated loyalties. The instability of the area, and much of the country, facilitates further evils. Which is why invading and destabilising a country is a war crime, and why we (not least those US soldiers) need a cataclysmic change in US politics so that the likes of the crooks and criminals who instigated that invasion can never again hold such offices.

Iraq before the invasion was a dictatorship where many were murdered, but most people would have had a fair idea of where they stood in the system, who to trust, how to survive. And if you couldn't fit in you could get asylum elsewhere (almost impossible now). There were working services, goods in the shops (where not disrupted by UN sanctions), hospitals, universities, employment. Sometimes one wonders if the Bush White House chose Iraq because it was a variety of a socialist state with oil.

Brave as they were, the Americans were obviously completely untrained for such a situation. They were handling it as if it were something in a war game, which is probably how they are trained. There was no sign of training in the skills needed in peacekeeping and normalisation situations; plain humanity seemed to have to suffice, where that hadn't been eradicated by military training or esprit de corps. Obviously British skills supposedly learned in Northern Ireland and elsewhere have not been absorbed by US forces. That supposed contribution has come to nothing. To take just one example, there was no sign that local people had any way to approach the Americans about anything but openly in the street. No phones were in evidence even, assuming that the public phone system, which the US forces deliberately destroyed in the initial bombing (which ought to be a war crime too), is working again.

I thought Newsnight was supposed to be a flagship news programme run by professionals.More and more it seems to be run as a celebrity-style programme in which we are encouraged to see its presenters as our oldest and dearest friends.Either keep the programme to its original agenda,or move it to a human-interest time-slot- or I shall reluctantly switch off.

Charlotte-was very sorry to hear that you had been ill, but was thrilled to see a beautiful photo of you on the ´óÏó´«Ã½, and to read it here in Canada. Congrats.on the wonderful honest article you wrote. Please stay well, and all good wishes to you.Your great-grandfather and my grandmother were brother and sister. Although I never got to meet your Dad, I was able to purchase all the books he wrote.Your great uncle Sam visited us here in Canada a few years ago. Mom and Dad visited your great grandparents when your Dad Gavin was just a little lad. All the best in health to you. Love to your Grandpa Bill. Cheers, from cousin Jackie in Canada. xxxxx