Serena Beakhurst missing since 15 December

14-year-old Serena Beakhurst was last seen leaving her home in Tulse Hill, South London and  vanished after catching a bus to attend a beauty course in Tooting on 15 December.

Serena is described as being of mixed race, slim, 5ft 3in (160 cm) tall and with shoulder-length hair. She was also seen wearing a black leather jacket with a gold zipper when she was last seen.

Anyone with information should call police on 020 8649 3423.

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Up until yesterday  (Jan 3rd) the mainstream press totally ignored this story. Today, however there has been a complete turn-around because celebrities have joined efforts via Twitter to help find the teenager, and I guess the mainstream press now considers her disappearance news worthy.

The reality is mainstream media organisations decide which news stories (of this nature) to give major coverage to based on race, gender and class.

So basically if you’re female, attractive to the eye , Caucasian, blond and from a middle class background, you will be on the front page of every national newspaper and all over the news. You are guaranteed top billing.

If you’re female,  not considered “conventionally” pretty, Caucasian come from a working class background, then coverage of your disappearance will feature inside the national newspapers (a whole page), and 5 minute coverage on ITV News and BBC News.

If you’re a working class Caucasian male, then you might get half a page worth of coverage in the national newspapers and a mention on BBC News and ITV News.  A good looking, educated middle class Caucasian male will obviously get more attention from the nation’s press.

And last but not least…

If you’re a black male or female The Voice Newspaper and  The Evening Standard.

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UPDATE:

Missing teenager Serena Beakhurst was found by police this morning in South London. She was said to be safe and well.