Tara Brown is an intelligent woman, but thinking that reason would prevail in the Middle East, when Sharia Law is involved, was indeed a huge mistake!

Roskop, there is a thing called integrity, it matters to some of us.

Yabby,

'Reason' is wallet journalism and being along for the ride, breaking the laws, most serious, in a foreign country?

Channel 9's CEO says he was kept in the dark about it all. I don't know about anyone else, but it stretches my credulity.

Why there isn't already a shareholder revolt against the CEO is beyond comprehension. If the CEO wasn't aware, he damn well should have had policies in place to ensure that he was! How can a CEO avoid any responsibility for such a huge embarrassment?

Tara Brown is small fish, the CEO is the one who should be receiving scrutiny and now.

As well, the Board should be apologising and reviewing its own performance and decision to appoint this sorry replacement for the previous CEO.

Hang on, wallet journalism is used every day in the commercial media, nothing unusual about that. This mother was clearly determined to be reunited with her children, who are Australian citizens and of whom she had legal custody in Australia. If this had happened in any other part of the civilised world, the Hague Convention would apply and they would have been returned to her. Her real mistake was trusting the father, who claimed it was only for a "holiday".

The money which 60 Minutes paid her for the story, was used to hire her crew. 60 Minutes filmed the whole thing, filming is not illegal. The story should be a great warning to other women that when it comes to the Middle East, Sharia Law applies in many countries and that clearly discriminates against women, so hopefully other women will never make the same mistake as she made, in thinking that our Govt could help her. When the law is an ass, it should be pointed out.

Yabby,

"The practice of checkbook journalism threatens to corrupt the newsgathering and reporting functions of the media. Because journalism — accurate and credible news — is so essential to the maintenance of a democracy, checkbook journalism is not only unethical, it threatens to undermine journalism and damage democracy"

http://www.spj.org/ethics-papers-cbj.asp

However, the larger issue is the duties and responsibilities of the CEO (and Board) of Channel 9. Was a legal opinion sought prior for instance and why wasn't the CEO involved? What about the audit committee, what did they say? Many questions and few are being posed, but why not?

Also, what about wee matter of its Code of Conduct that was signed off by the CEO and Board? Just stuff for show and to smack a junior employee with?

Maybe raise those sights a bit.

Yabby, so you think persistence in defending the indefensible wins the argument.

"Hang on, wallet journalism is used every day in the commercial media, nothing unusual about that." Yes but it is very unusual when the money is used to support the aiding and abetting of illegal acts.

As agents of the mother, scaring the living daylights out of children and assaulting their grandmother is one of the worst forms of domestic violence. As the domestic violence industry folk will remind you time and time again there is no excuse whatsoever for violence.

Roscop,

Can you imagine being in the CFO seat when that proposal was put to you? The paint on the walls would be blistering from the reply.