Inauguration blanket coverage buried child abuse history

I have complained before about the BBC's obsession with the United States. The rest of the UK media's fixation on Donald J Trump is not far behind. As a consequence, the fall-out from the collapse of the power-sharing administration in Northern Ireland which coincided with the build-up to the inauguration was not covered, though one must acknowledge that BBC Radio has since been catching up. However, there has been practically nothing about the long-overdue inquiry into child abuse in Northern Ireland institutions. Moreover, there is now no Northern Ireland executive to receive and process the inquiry's findings and recommendations.

Time was when the heady mix of child abuse, politicians and high-ranking professionals and the alleged involvement of the security services made at least the second lead in the media. Now the media seem to be complaisant with the Establishment in the playing-down of the findings. To my mind, the proven facts of the Kincora business, let alone the allegations, are more gross than the abuse scandals in England which so obsessed Newsnight.

I am grateful to the persistent and thorough Cathy Fox for the link to Colin Wallace's response to the publication of the report. It is noticeable that not all the inquiry papers are yet online. More will be trickled out. One hopes that there are mainstream media, in addition to Cathy Fox and Private Eye, who are keeping an eye on this.