Prime Rejects Dr Cullen's Claims

31 May 2005

Prime Rejects Dr Cullen's Claims

Prime and the Paul Holmes programme rejects entirely the suggestion made by Dr Michael Cullen in a press statement earlier today that Prime Television used false pretences to elicit information from Bayfield High pupils against David Benson-Pope.

There is no substance to the unwarranted attack on Prime. This statement sets the record straight.

In early March the Paul Holmes programme received an e-mail from a man making allegations against David Benson-Pope in connection with his treatment of students at Bayfield High school.

This man referred us to a former pupil. This person declined to be interviewed on camera but suggested the programme contact other former students.

On March 10, reporter Steve Hopkins went onto a website to try to ascertain if the allegations were true.

The reporter used his own name and did not imply that he was a former pupil of Bayfield High school. In subsequent email exchanges with former students he identified himself as a Paul Holmes reporter.

Prime’s reporter received no replies from anyone alleging Mr Benson-Pope had done anything wrong and as a consequence the Paul Holmes programme did not pursue the matter any further.

Prime and the Paul Holmes programme most certainly did not use false pretences to elicit information. Nor did they obtain information (other than from the unverified source) from Bayfield High pupils against Mr Benson-Pope.

Prime acted responsibly and took reasonable steps to investigate serious allegations against a prominent government minister. When those allegations could not be verified, Prime did not run the story. Prime and the Paul Holmes programme invite Dr Cullen to reconsider his ill-founded attack on Prime and to apologise.

ENDS

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