Prince Andrew Is Still in Hot Water

And is journalistic integrity going down the drain?

This past week my newsfeed has been jammed with stories about ChatGPT, and fears about how AI is going to change journalism.

Already Buzzfeed has announced it will use AI to “enhance” and “personalize” content for their audience. 

But before we worry about what AI might do in the future, maybe we need to be concerned about what humans are doing to journalism today.

On Saturday, I saw that The Telegraph, a major UK newspaper, featured – on page 1, above the fold – a picture of two people in a bathtub, fully clothed, with their faces covered by an A4 picture as if it were a mask. 

One person was lying down in the bath, wearing a “mask” of Prince Andrew. 

The other person (presumably a woman) was sitting in the bath, her face covered with an image of Virginia Giuffre, the woman who accused Prince Andrew of raping her (on three occasions) when she was just 17 years old.  

My first thought when I saw the picture was “What the hell is that?” – quickly followed by “Where did they get that?” and “Why are they publishing it in a major UK newspaper?”

As the story reported, the photo was supplied by Ian Maxwell, brother of convicted sex offender Ghislane Maxwell. 

Ghislane Maxwell was the girlfriend/close friend of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and she is currently serving a 20-year sentence for her crimes.

Ian supplied the photo because he says it proves that the “sexual frolicking” Giuffre said took place with Prince Andrew is impossible. 

Um…what do you see when you look at that photo?

I see two adults in a bathtub. One is lying down. 

Ms Giuffre said that she was 17 when Prince Andrew “caressed her toes” and “licked her arches” in the bathtub.  

Do you think there’s enough room for that to happen in this tub?

I sure do.

Ian Maxwell wants to help his sister. I understand that, but he’s grasping at straws with this one.

This photo does not prove Giuffre is lying, nor does it prove Prince Andrew is innocent of any wrongdoing.

If anything, it shows that it’s possible that “sex frolicking” between a teenager and an adult could have happened in a bathtub.

And any good journalist and editor knows that, too.

They would not have dedicated so many column inches to such a weak non-story.

Instead, they would have asked why Ian Maxwell was sharing this photo now. 

They might have been suspicious when Ian claimed his sister was a “dear friend” of Prince Andrew, and that she wanted to help him.

They might have found the timing of this attempt to help Prince Andrew suspect, just days after he was “thrown out” of Buckingham Palace.

They would have responded like an investigative journalist, asked questions, and reported the truth.

If Ian Maxwell posted this photo on twitter, the public would have interrogated it.

So why didn’t a journalist or editor at The Telegraph do that? 

It appears The Telegraph is no better than some of the other UK newspapers, where shock and sensationalism trump the truth, and ‘journalistic integrity’ is optional.

This photo is not the smoking gun that Ian Maxwell andThe Telegraph suggest it is, and it does not exonerate Prince Andrew.

If anything, it puts The Telegraph in hot water — and shows that their integrity has gone down the drain.

It also makes me wonder if it’s possible to teach AI journalistic integrity.

Because they sure won’t learn it from reading The Telegraph.

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Beth Collier loves writing, pop culture, and investigative journalism.

She also loves helping companies, leaders, and teams improve their communication (and creativity and leadership) through consulting, coaching, and workshops.

Her clients benefit from Beth’s global corporate experience, Midwestern practicality and enthusiasm, and an endless supply of pop culture references.

To find out how Beth can help you become a more confident, creative, and compelling leader – or improve communication in your company – visit www.beth-collier.com or drop her a line at beth@beth-collier.com

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