Have we lost a sense of decency in content creation?

As an ex-hack, I know the pressure of having to fill a weekly printed newspaper so the never-ending demands of supplying content for rolling-news channels and online editions must be enormous, not to mention the pressure of achieving the right metrics. Yet, in the last week, following the terrorist attack in Tunisia and even the disappearance of ex-Blue Peter presenter John Noakes in Majorca who is suffering from Alzheimer's disease, I have been shocked by the extent that journalists will go to get a headline, increase clicks or fill a slot.

Is it necessary to show...

• John Noakes, who was missing for hours in hot sunshine and was clearly in a poorly state, being strapped to a stretcher;
• A woman in pain and distress following the Tunisian attacks in her hospital bed;
• Mobile phone footage of the attacks actually taking place;
• The injured being removed from the beach in swimwear who may be identifiable to family and friends who were not even aware their loved one had been injured;
• Painful interviews with survivors who are clearly in shock and who probably require medical help or counselling to recover;
• And finally, journalists (many at the BBC) who have been trained at the Ministry of Silly Questions...

I am a firm believer in a free press and the rise of the mobile phone has given everyone the potential to be a reporter on the ground, but there has to be a balance between good journalism and gratuitous headline grabbing. Victims should be allowed to keep their dignity. If they cannot give their consent to filming, is it ethical to show them on a live news broadcast? Is it right to upset their family and friends in that way? Journalism is under pressure. It's hard to make a return on investment when so much news is now free, immediate and reported by multiple agencies instantaneously regardless of time zones.

Content is king, however just because more content is required, doesn't mean standards and ethics should slip.