Rejecting the pleas for decency by Diana’s sons and hundreds of other well-meaning people, a British broadcaster aired images of the Princess of Wales’ dying moments.

Channel 4, which has courted controversy in the past with its programming, stuck to its guns despite an unusual appeal from Princes William and Harry not to air photos taken after their mother’s fatal car crash.

Princess Diana remembered

A viewer watches a portrait of the Princess of Diana in London.

The program “Diana: The Witnesses in the Tunnel” was broadcast without changes, with a Channel 4 spokesman telling media it was “because we feel it’s (a) respectful, responsible, sensible history documentary.”

Royal aides said in a statement that they had written to Channel 4 asking them on behalf of the princes not to broadcast pictures taken after the crash in a Paris underpass on the night of August 31, 1997.

The princes, the statement said, believe airing the photographs “to be wholly inappropriate, deeply distressing to them and to the relatives of the others who died that night, and a gross disrespect to their mother’s memory.”

A royal aide has asked for a shot of an ambulance inside which a paramedic was “clearly” administering emergency treatment to an unseen Diana to be pulled from the program, saying it would cause the princes “acute distress.”

In response, Channel 4 said it had “weighed the princes’ concerns against the legitimate public interest” in discovering what happened in the immediate aftermath of the crash.

“Channel 4 acknowledges the concerns expressed by the Princes William and Harry about the documentary,” said Channel 4 boss Julian Bellamy.

“We would like to make clear that it was not our intention in commissioning this program to cause them distress and we do not believe it is in any way disrespectful to the memory of Princess Diana.”

Oh yeah? You’re not “disrespecting the memory of Princess Diana”? You’re just respecting your self-given right to do whatever you like to do to promote your own self-interest? That’s sleek.

Ok, if ever one of the bosses of Channel 4 get into a vehicular accident, God forbid, let there be a full-blown media coverage as well, showing where his brains got spilled, where his intestines lay on the ground, and where all the blood spills were scattered. Deal?

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3 Responses

  1. hannahgrace

    10|Jun|2007

    Things like these make me negative towards the media. I mean, why would they hide behind the guise of “public interest”. Come on “interest” is the right word because people just want to gawk and it is to the channel’s “self-interest” to make money out of it. It isn’t as if showing the video will save anyone’s life nor is it a matter of national security. SO why the heck should it be released for public interest? I admit that I have a fascination with Princess Di and am curious about the clip but give her family a break. They’re human too and need some privacy.

    I think Jay that it shouldn’t only be the bosses who are to be included in the deal but also the broadcaster his camera crew and all directly related to the production of that segment. What do you think?

  2. Jay

    10|Jun|2007

    Well, since the bosses are the ones who make the decision, the deal on the full-blown media coverage of their possible “tragic demise” should be exclusive only to them.
    The camera crew need not be involved since they’re just following orders. But if some of them are jumping up and down with delight at the decision of their bosses, yes, they should be included in the deal as well!

  3. Nikki!

    13|Jun|2007

    Not quite a good deal, I think: They just might like it that way.


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