Dear FRONTLINE,

Her womanly & motherly ways should be an example to us all. Diana was a bright light in a dark world, but is now an everlasting star, which will be there for those that look for it. May God bless her sons with the never-ending memories of the affections and love that she bestowed upon them. May God bless us all as we remember Princess Diana as she was, and as she is, in His presence.

Michele
Dover, OH
MyMichelet@yours.com

Dear FRONTLINE,

I had mixed feelings about the your program on the late Princess Diana. On one hand , I enjoyed the coverage of the Monarchy but this was overshadowed by the objection to what seemed like a "get the press off the hook" contend. In sum, I thought you had a bad thesis, one resembling a Greek tragedy. Too much was said of her and too little of responsible journalism .

J.E.Brown
Bethlehem, PA
folksong@aol.com

Dear FRONTLINE,

I was terribly disappointed in your latest documentary featuring the now deceased Princess of Wales and her "relationship" with the British media.

I have always counted on "Frontline" to provide in-depth documentaries regarding pertinent issues facing our nation and the world.

It did not surprise me in the least to witness the behavior of the mainstream media (CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS) during the period following Princess Diana's death. I, however, was shocked to find "Frontline" joining that motley crew in feeding off of her deceased body.

What was the value in yet again parading British "royal watchers"/"journalists" across the screen expounding on their knowledge of gossip about her private life. Let alone showing embarrassing tabloid photographs as well as playing embarrassing audio tapes of the Princess and her husband. Finally, joining the mainstream media's line that the Princess actually enjoyed all of the attention she received from this multi-billion dollar industry.

I expect more from "Frontline", or at least did in the past. Now I ask the more pertinent question....where can I go to find news coverage which is NOT laden with gossip and innuendo? Sadly, "Frontline", I thought you were one of the few the answers left in this nation.

Sincerely and sadly,
Noel Ann Porter
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Dear FRONTLINE,

Did we really need another show about Princess Di? Has Frontline decided it is necessary to cater to the lowest common denominator? In the guise of a serious discussion of the Press you have really just added to the media and public obsession with celebrity and celebrity gossip. You are the only show left that even occasionally provides a forum for serious documentaries. It is a shame that this valuable forum is being wasted and trivialized with celebrity pandering that is in excess all over the television dial.

Ron Grossberg

Dear FRONTLINE,

Thank you so much for the presentation of the Princess and the Press. I have been a tried and true fan of Diana since the age of 17. I am now 35. It was very informative and very un-bias. I hope that future shows are dedicated to Diana also. She was a true giver from the heart and a gift that god gave us for such a short time. Thanks again.

Torrie Walsh
Buffalo N.Y.
torriew@gowebway.com

Dear FRONTLINE,

I guess your show was one of the few I've missed on the never-ending saga of this wonderful icon of modern culture. I think the world has been obsessed with this fairy tale story over the years. I'm sad that the world won't be able to see the dynamic woman Diana was slowly becoming, and be able to watch her age with grace and dignity. With all the controversial stories about 'who done it' we hear daily in the news, I will forever, in my own heart, put most of the blame on the Fayed family for putting Diana in the position of being at 'their' mercy.....their bodyguards, their drivers, their escorts, their yachts, palaces, hotels, etc. They forced Diana to be 'protected' at their standards, not the ones she was used to, like her own valet, her own drivers, her own protection. Never would they have allowed excessive speeds to dodge the press. Why would she? She had been living with them for 16 years. I truly feel Dodi was so anxious to allude them for his own purposes and made a spectacle of them. I'm just so very sorry she didn't have her seat belt on, as she was always adamant about with herself and her children. Diana's 'protectors' would have never allowed this scenario to even exist. That's the tragedy.

Why can't our news cover the human interest stories in the loving fashion that they exist...like yesterday's tremendous news about 7 babies born healthy, and the goodness of the world in their contributions to their well-being, or stories of human interest like Charles Kuralt brought to our TVs weekly. Today's news broadcasters would never devote their career to human interest like he did. Those are the stories I am 'obsessed' with from the press. Let Diana rest in peace, and let her children enjoy being the normal kids she tried so hard to allow them to be. Let them enjoy a hamburger in their blue jeans without 60-90 cameras filming every bite. Let them walk in her footsteps into the world without us being able to witness every step.

Jean Haney
Fairfax, VA
haney-jean@prc.com

Dear FRONTLINE,

I've never turned away from a FRONTLINE program before. I began to watch your Diana story only because of my faith in the amazing standard of quality your documentary series has maintained in the past. After one hour I turned it off, perhaps missing revelations reserved for the end. It seemed strange to have FRONTLINE (particularly the wonderfully emotive narrator) devoted to such a thin and redundant topic.

Despite all the attention she drew, it was always clear she was unexceptional. She was mixed-up and sad. In the BBC interview, she often talked of her "work," and I doubted she could know what the word meant. She couldn't know what she couldn't know.

The day of your broadcast coincided with the further media amazement that she was, at the time of her death, headed toward a role opposite Kevin Costner in a "Bodyguard" movie sequel. It's become difficult to even take her memory seriously.

Joseph Hines
Dearborn, Michigan
projarts@compuserve.com

Dear FRONTLINE,

I really enjoyed your program the other evening about Princess Diana and the Press. I have been a royal watcher for many years because I am originally for England and it's a natural past time to be interest in the Royal Family. It is still unbelievable that she is gone. I always had dreamt of seeing her in person, but that will never happen, she will be greatly missed.

Suzanne Waring
Rochester NY
594385@ovmail.kodak.com

Dear FRONTLINE,

When I was channel surfing tonight I happened to run into Frontline and "The Princess and the Press". I was really amazed at how fast the program was produced, along with how truly unbiased it was. I enjoyed hearing all the good things/bad things that both Diana and did publicly Charles during their marriage.

As an American citizen, I appreciated learning more about the strict traditions of the British Monarchy. All I can say now is I think that has era gone sour. After the loss of Diana to such an obnoxious way of life, shouldn't it be stopped, or at least reformed? Doesn't anybody care about the real people in this world? (As in the thousands of unfortunate people Diana wanted so dearly to comfort and help?) Time to move on folks... monarchy and celeb stalking is a waste of you precious time.

Lauren A. Bass
Boston, MA
lbass@bu.edu

Dear FRONTLINE,

I thought the program very well done. Diana's death was a tragic event brought on by her driver's speed and alcohol consumption and secondarily the attention of the press in all her movements, which she, at times invited.

Thank you for presenting such many and varied topics for our viewing. I may not always agree with your slant of the subject matter, but you always give me reason to think and analyze.

Denise Morris
Upper Darby, PA
gmorris10@aol.com

Dear FRONTLINE,

I just happened upon your site. I find that a lot of attention going toward the Princess Diana can be very offensive . Cant we just let it go. we all know she is in a far better place. The media just want a lot of money so the go along with what ever makes the most money. We need to let it go for the sake of the children that she loved so much. They have enough to deal with .... like the Queen.

Donna Rose
Houston Texas

Dear FRONTLINE,

It's really striking how "fair" you tried to be on the program. For what? Since, when is life fair and so balanced as that program? I don't think I have ever seen such a "balance" on any Frontline program. It was too balanced.

I'm not a Diana or a Charles fan. The program did not express any opinions on the subject, except of those interviewed from either the Diana or Charles camp. Just the dry facts? What about the social implications of all of this? The British monarchy uses the English people. They are sovereign rich people. Why shouldn't they use anything for their own purposes, even the press? They wanted to dump the princess that was obvious. I guess the next statement doesn't have to be said.

Diana's death was very tragic and sad. My final thought is that the program was a complete waste and not even timely.

San Diego, CA

Dear FRONTLINE,

I enjoyed the show! I do think that Andrew Morton told things best. I think it was probably true that Diana felt so much love and attention from the media and the public and didn't feel special with the Royal Family.

I also agree with the tempestuous notion of the Spencers mentioned by Morton. At the time of her death, I was particularly disturbed by the statement by her brother that all of the media "should have blood on its hands". He said this before any investigation had been done. It certainly does seem that Diana loved the media attention but, as anyone would, would like to be bale to turn it off at times. Too bad it doesn't work that way. I do feel, though, that she would have exuded media attention whether she ever used it or not, so I don't think that should be an issue. It was never right that she be so hounded by the press. I've thought about it and just can't imagine how awful it would be to never be able to leave your home without the press in your face. This harassment should definitely be illegal.

As far as the accident goes and assigning responsibility between the driver and the press, it is not yet definitive. However, no matter if the press was in pursuit, it doesn't make sense that Dodi and Diana hired a drunk driver. From the news reports I've heard, the driver had been drinking for some time that day and had a history of heavy drinking and had a very high alcohol level at the time of the accident. Had he known he was on call to driver perhaps he may have acted differently. I do wish he could have felt comfortably about saying "I'm sorry, I can't drive, I've been drinking". Nonetheless, as drunk as he was, why were Dodi and Diana comfortable with his driving?

The only answer I can think of is that they both had a bit to drink themselves. There have been no reports of their alcohol levels, but I can't imagine that anyone who was halfway sober would hire a drunk driver. I also wonder that since the knew about all the media waiting outside why not just stay at the Ritz? Ultimately, everyone is responsible for their actions, and having two children to think of, Diana should have never agreed to get into a car with a drunk driver.

I have also heard that the Ritz has confirmed that Dodi called the driver but the driver had been drinking in the lounge at the Ritz. I don't think it's fair that the Ritz bear no responsibility in the actions of their employee. Obviously, Al Fayed wouldn't know about each employee and what they were doing al the time, but the safeguards, etc. should have been set up with his company the Ritz so that a drunk driver would not have been at the wheel that night or any night. I think Al Fayed should take responsibility rather than blame it on his dead son.

Judith E. Houghton
Arundel, Maine
jhought@biddeford.com

Dear FRONTLINE,

I think that it is time to let her go. If people would just stop and think of the impact these programs and articles and interviews is having on her children. They need time to heal and this is not the way to do it. Think of what they must be going through right now. Do they really need to keep hearing how she was not loved, how she was hounded by certain departments of the media and how poorly their family treated her? If people really admired Diana, our thoughts should be on what can we do to help her children, how her works with the Red Cross and homeless shelters and hospitals can continue.

Schiller Park, IL

Dear FRONTLINE,

As a lifelong reader of British history with a keen interest in the human drama of the English monarchy, I looked forward to your Frontline feature "The Princess and the Press". But the program saddened, almost angered me. I admired Diana Princess of Wales with a discreet and respectful awe. I was never interested in the 'tabloid' escapades, but saw her as a complicated woman in a privileged but onerous role of historical importance. I had once hoped to see her crowned queen. Her death was a shock, at first but now seems to me a horrible and ironic inevitability. Your program vilified her with insidious subtlety.

She gave so much to her family, her empire, and the world - why was she not allowed the basic human right of personal privacy? The press used her, sold her as a dehumanized commodity, and now you are defiling her even in death. Must compassion be continually sacrificed for greed? Diana is not an icon or a product, she was flesh and blood and soul, a mother, sister, daughter, wife and spirit who was crushed by the money machine. Please re-examine your editorial view and re-broadcast a piece on Diana worthy of her tender heart and humanitarian legacy.

Deborah F. Eastman
Medway, MA
deastman@cwmarsmail.cwmars.org

Dear FRONTLINE,

Is this really necessary? I thought that this media frenzy was all over and done with. shame on you for reporting such stuff - quoting from such tabloid sources should make you suspect. Have we seen enough of this already? I think so, but obviously you would prefer to dredge up such sad and sensational views. How disgusting. I thought you knew better, but obviously I was mistaken

Kristeen McLellan
Vancouver, Canada
kristeen@interchange.ca

Dear FRONTLINE,

I was a Di watcher, especially in these latter years. Her appeal, unfortunately, was her problems, for she proved to be quite human. I identified with her since I, too, battled anorexia and bulimia as well as married a wandering eye. I felt like a soul sister to her, though we never met. As she stood up to the royal family, I cheered. Not with hatred toward the royals for they mean little to me, but in celebration that a fellow survivor did what was psychologically healthy. It is such a shame that she died before she truly lived.

Thank you for a well-documented glimpse into her life via the news people who played such a big part of her popularity and, sadly, her death.

Dear FRONTLINE,

Your program held my interest for several reasons the millions of other programs have not:

1. Your broad coverage on the life of Princess Diana in the media, dating back to her first arriving on the scene in 1980. I remember being fascinated with her while at the age of 10 years old myself then.

2. The way you presented the beautiful evolution of this incredible woman's life from "commoner" to royalty. The transformation she had to go through was amazing and she did it with taste and glamour. I'm pretty tired of seeing the same old news coverage of her death and the details that are none of my business, so your presentation on her LIFE was refreshing.

3. The fact that I had to look at myself as one who fed on the Diana
frenzy and possibly contributed to her torment by the paparazzi. If it weren't for me and other people who have to have all the latest and juiciest details about her, she may not have been so hounded by the press. Thank you for making me look at myself and really evaluate how my actions and dollars affect the lives of those in the media.

Brenda Brough
Grand Blanc, MI
tabrough@juno.com

Dear FRONTLINE,

I was not able to watch your program on the princess and the press last night so I taped it and watched it this morning. What I found so disturbing is that a show of your usual high caliber has stooped to programming which places you squarely in the company of those you wish to examine.

I have noticed with increasing alarm as public television has become more and more aligned with the general state of shoddy features and reporting as we find in today's media. My feeling is that this story was not meant to enlighten but to enhance ratings. For years I have counted on PBS and the programs it offers such as yours, to present topics which enlighten and inform the public and which have important impact upon their lives. Instead I find that with this particular program Frontline has thrown this principle out the window.

You would have served yourself better as well as your viewers if the thrust of this particular program had been tailored not upon the princess and the press but presented a hard-driving piece of television journalism about the appalling quality and tactics found in all forms of media today.

Yes, I find it tragic what happened to Princess Diana, but maybe she is only the poster girl, the symptom of the underlying cause. Come on Frontline go out and get the real story. It is time that someone has the courage to chastise the media, its journalists, as well as its viewers to raise the standards of stories reported.

Sincerely,
Susan M. Cashin
Austin, Texas

Dear FRONTLINE,

The real tragedy of your program tonight is not the love/hate relationship of the press and the Royal family, and Diana's subsequent horrific death, but the loss of integrity in the news institution itself.
These are the days of rushing to print or air with unsubstantiated reports, rumors, innuendo and speculation. The days of previously unthinkable "anonymous sources" being given the credibility of solid reportage.

As a former CBS News employee, I was privileged to have Walter Cronkite as my boss. I learned valuable lessons about integrity and news-gathering from him. His like will never be seen again. We are, instead, seeing a complete dissolution of lines between tabloid and "respectable" news media in search of ever higher ratings and more profit. Gone are the days when news was considered a public service. And we are the poorer for it.

Nora Siri Bock
New York, New York

Dear FRONTLINE,

Shame on you for airing such dreck. You have tarnished your image by wasting valuable time and funding for something people believe is nothing more than tabloid news. If I want to watch such nonsense, I'll tune into MSNBC. Please concentrate your attention on newsworthy stories. Your program was embarrassing.

David Evans
Lost City, WV
dbevans@hardynet.com

Dear FRONTLINE,

I find your propagation of the position that because Diana sometimes invited the media's presence she forfeited any rights to privacy as very self-serving to your profession. That such a view could be seriously put forth suggests a serious absence of ethics.

Alan Vande Kop
Leon, IA
ajvande@netins.net

Dear FRONTLINE,

I budgeted an hour and a half of my personal time to watch your show "The Princess and the Press", expecting to learn what really happened in that tunnel in Paris. Instead, all I got was every reason (plausible and implausible) that Diana was also to blame, with absolutely nothing detailing the press involvement in Diana's death. Way to go! You'd make Rupert Murdoch proud.

Keith Grzelak
Spokane, WA

Dear FRONTLINE,

I enjoyed The Princess and The Press but hated the continuous justification and rationalization by media members. One more "...she sometimes WANTED press coverage..." would have prompted me to change channels.

I think even celebrities in the public eye deserve a certain amount of privacy. Must they turn over their most intimate moments to the public? When they are out in public places perhaps they are fair game but they should be permitted to leave that behind and should not be continuously pursued.

Sincerely,
George Eastman

Dear FRONTLINE,

As always, I enjoyed your show tonight. They are always informative and I look forward to them. You always present a 'fair' straight forward outlook at any subject you tackle. It it for that reason I catch all your programs.

As for this one on Princess Diana, it was extremely well done! First one on PBS since her death. It brought back all the drama of that time to me and I shall value my recording of it. Thank you for the excellent program and keep up the great work!

Casa Grande, Az.

Dear FRONTLINE,

Your special report about Princess Di, was absolutely amazing. I think it is one of the last opportunities I had to remember such an amazing and incredible woman, in modern history. I personally appreciated the documentary which let us know the happiest and hardest moment of such an admired personality of all times. Thank you for letting the public have this last and great opportunity to
remember her.

Sincerely,
Oscar Perez
operez@asml.com

Dear FRONTLINE,

Princess Diana's life and person was that of someone that should be highly regarded and loved and respected worldwide. She was the essence of love, compassion, benevolence and genuineness to hug the human spirit and yes a beauty no doubt! SHE WAS A TRUE PRINCESS, THE ONE MANY DREAM OF, THE KIND THAT MAKES FAIRY TALES COME ALIVE.

Her humanitarian heart had no other interest than to love and be loved back. Her instincts, as a torn and tormented woman made miserable by Prince Charles, were not those of a lunatic or schizophrenic patient and to make her look like so is one of the worst and most backstabbing actions taken against her. After all, she did feed you all Paparazzi, didn't she?

Princess Diana's pure mind and soul were savagely attacked and left brutally in the hands of murdering people. killing and breaking her life intrusively and terribly by low riff raff who have no concept of morals nor of the human heart and its essence to preserve love in a world full of hate and crime.

Diana, a passionate young human being, with desires to be loved back from her very husband could only do what any other young human being would have done to get it all back. Her public image struggle and a royal fight was much more poisonous bite than anybody else in the world can ever dig into and come out alive. Her strength (and no weakness) showed through the years, while pulling herself to peek out from such a masquerade and web of lies and to come forward triumphantly holding the flag of humanitarian facts.

Is it not enough to have her death chucked in our throats? Is it not enough that she was a victim of a cruel and very abusive husband? Is it not enough to have the immense public threat shoved down her fragile spine? Is it not enough that she was de-crowned and humiliated by the Royals already? Has she not paid enough with her own personal sufferings made so public and her very essence conspired upon and doubted? Is she not dead because of the Paparazzi?

To this day, my heart has not ceased to cry for someone so brutally murdered, so viciously beaten up over and over but not just "someone" instead PRINCESS DIANA OUR QUEEN OF HEARTS LAYS DEAD AND NO PRESS OR MEDIA WILL EVER BRING HER BACK! ONLY HER SPIRIT AND BEAUTIFUL SOUL REMAINS WITH US TODAY. So why cannot the world respect her soul and leave her alone , you know she wont come back to get you.

P.S. DIANA YOUR HEART AND SOUL STAYS WITH ALL OF US, PEOPLE WHO CARED FOR YOU PEOPLE WHO WILL MAKE IT A POINT TO CONTINUE YOUR WORK AND WORD.

Mina Diaz de Rivera

Dear FRONTLINE,

I really liked Prince Diana so it was good to remember her again. I have followed everything about her and Prince Charles so that very few facts presented on your program were new. I would have rather heard the good news of the love between Fergi and her husband to make up for all this sadness. I think that Oprah is to have Fergie on TV tomorrow to tell us about it. Fergie did have much understanding given to her on Oprah and all stood up and clapped last time she was on. No matter what she has done, there is something genuine and adorable about her.

Phoenix, AZ USA

Dear FRONTLINE,

The thrust of the "Princess and the Press" is that the public, through it's intermediary, the Press, has become increasingly uncivilized as our civilization gets older.
While we realize that the discreet celebrity coverage of the past was not necessarily apropos, we have now journeyed to the other extreme where salacious gossip is considered newsworthy. Today's "journalists" seem to think anything,
especially if it is titillating, is news.
It is not. The result is an intolerable intrusion into celebrities lives which is unwarranted and venal. Yes we, the public, are guilty of buying the newspapers which carry salacious headlines. But the journalists and paparazzi must shoulder the blame also for they have not just fed the demand, they have created it.

And at the end of the day what has been accomplished. Publishers are richer but the world is poorer for it has lost, not only a life (the Princess) but it's code of ethics which should have been the signposts pointing the way towards future progress for this round of civilization.

BRYAN BRODIE
BURLINGTON, ONTARIO
BBRODIE@NETCOM.CA

Dear FRONTLINE,

When we think of Diana, we think of the many wonderful attributes she possessed. When we look to ourselves, we see a need for change in terms of our hunger for gossip; not only has it cost Diana's life, but in true essence, it represents our true inner selves in terms of us looking to others to seek the desirable traits Diana possessed. If we individually possessed her radiance, we would not have been so enthralled by her mere presence in out world. With her death, let Diana go. Lets focus on what she wanted us to see all along: the pain and anguish within out world.

Sean Cannon
Flagstaff AZ
sjc7@dana.ucc.nau.edu

Dear FRONTLINE,

I do not understand the fascination with Diana. Perhaps it is an indication of the shallowness of today's People magazine society that so many people can be so intrigued by a woman as shallow as they are. Diana would never have been in front of a camera, or in most of the parts of the world she frequented, or even of any interest at all had she not married the man who will one day be the monarch. While she was certainly canny about using the press and giving unthinking people the feeling that they "knew her," she really was, in her own words, "thick as a plank. "The Princess Royal does much more for humanity that Diana ever did but does it without the arranged fanfare.

Lake Placid, FL

Dear FRONTLINE,

There are a couple of issues that your otherwise thorough documentary seemed to dodge. The initial issue is rather obvious: the "why" of Diana's popularity, and therefore her pursuant press. What archetype did she evoke in the western imagination? The virgin princess; the wronged queen; the lady of the lake? Whatever it was, it was primeval and heady stuff--not wholly created by either her or Murdoch's minions, but rather derivative and ultimately deadly: icons don't wither, they press as to their breasts, they take a fast and lethal rides in the dead of night. Which brings me to the second issue. She was married at age 19. Think about this. We shudder at the idea of our own daughters marrying this young. Her life was scripted and she, of course, helped write the script. But she was child when she wed the prince, and she had to put away her childish things before all the world. I have nothing but pity for this woman and for her sons--who have also been thrust into premature adulthood.

Allegra Blake
Kalamazoo MI

Dear FRONTLINE,

"Diana's Game"
Why didn't you entitle your program that way? Was this an attempt to objectively document the events that led to Diana's death, was this a study of a social phenomenon, or was this an editorial.

I believe the latter: you manipulated all the shots and video clips that are available to you in order to state your belief that Diana was hypocritical in her relations towards the press and that she deserved what she got...is there a vested interest here? How can you honestly believe that you can objectively report (if anything the like is ever possible) on the press if you are the press? You can edit anything to make us believe that she was a manipulator, just as you did when you made us believe that she was a saint when she was killed in that accident...oh, and how gallant of you to make sure that we all get that you chose not to show the crumpled car and the debris, etc. ( though we all know that you could have) !!!!!
Bravo!!
I commend you...Goebbles couldn't have done a better job.