17/01/2014 Newswatch

Mass killings remain a major risk. Now it is time for News watch.

welcome to Newswatch. The French President's Private life

hits the headlines but is this just gossip?

Is sexual abuse a suitable subject for an early evening news bulletin?

And is it time Nick Robinson got a new ring tone for his tablet?

Was that you or me? It is you. The French do things differently

when it comes to extramarital affairs we are always told. This

French farce could turn out to be a serious matter for the French

presidency. French President in crisis drew

hundreds of journalists to the Elysee Palace for a news conference.

For Francois Hollande there could scarcely be a more difficult moment.

His partner is in hospital in shock after an magazine suggested he had a

new girlfriend. TRANSLATION: Row everyone goes

through challenging periods. This is a difficult matter. This is not the

place all the time. That view was echoed by some

Newswatch viewers. Up until very recently the attitude

of the French media had appeared to be annoying but not telling the

public about such indiscretions. A previous President had a dramatic

double life or years. A similar veil was drawn over the affairs of

another French President. What a contrast to the eagerness of British

journalists to report such fears. Since the days of John Profumo

political sex scandals have regularly been exposed by a

salacious tabloid press with television news not far behind.

Viewers felt that BBC news coverage does not normally devote time to a

French press contacts, so why was this being covered? We were going to

cover that conference anyway. The French economy is a massive story at

the moment. It is a story that we will be following for the rest of

the year. We were always planning on covering it.

What viewers noticed was that very little was said about the affair in

the news conference. They felt that the BBC was following a tabloid

agenda. This was a story that had been covered by the French media, by

all branches of the media, mainstream media, tabloid media,

television, newspapers, radio. The very first question put to him and

follow-up questions as well. It was not a tabloid agenda being picked up

by the BBC. It was the story of the day in France and has been the story

for many days in France. We reflect what the French people are

discussing. Should it be a story? That is the heart of the dispute.

Some people feel with it's not need to cover his private life.

We have two cover your private life when it moves into your ability to

do your job. This was debated in the French parliament will stop whether

politicians like it or not sometimes the private moves into the public.

The French media has been accused in the past of being too acquiescent.

Do you think something significant has changed in the way French

journalist regard these stories? I do not think they are becoming more

and it is. There are sections of the French press that have refrained

from covering these sorts of stories. Yes, there has been a

shift. We have seen this develop over the last few years. But let us

not be naive. There is a major section of the French press that has

been covering these stories and are far more salacious way than many

sections of the British press. It is naive to say that the French media

never covers these sorts of stories. If you bring it back to the viewer

do we assume that the viewer needs to know all these details? We do not

go in for gossip and rumours. The croissant is, the mopeds. We got

all that. We kept it to direct reporting. We are not gossiping on

air. Some viewers feel that this is just a private affair. We are going

to be covering France intensely over the next year. Francois Hollande,

even before this scandal, was an unpopular President with a tanking

economy. His leadership was under intense scrutiny even before this

happens. Now that it has happened there are big questions in France

being asked about his judgement. There are even questions being asked

by the media about the security around the office of the President.

Should he had been driving around on a scooter? There are fundamental

public issues being debated in France and our coverage hopefully

reflected that. We would like to know your thoughts

on any aspect of BBC News. Now we have reaction to Wednesdays

BBC News. The British men who give online

instructions. A place of shame. Dozens of families are involved in

WebCam abuse. That was one of five stories about

alleged sexual abuse in a 30 minute programme.

That was a matter of concern for this viewer.

Finally, the advent of tablets and mobile phones has been beneficial to

journalists, but it can also cause havoc.

Caroline Flint was in the middle of discussing bank bonuses when this

happened. People play good salaries.

Is that you or me? It is you. Do you know what the next lyric was? What

was that? That was Queen. Did Nick Robinson make the mistake

of forgetting to turn his mobile phone off when on television.

more appropriate for Nick Robinson please let us know. Other views on

news and current affairs are also welcomed.

We will get the latest on the search for Mikaeel