Indeed. The media are at least as much to blame as Murat's ex-wife for exploiting both public sentiment and Madelaine McCann's parents in order to sell their scummy newspapers.
The Daily Mirror in particular have been milking this particular cash cow for all it's worth - if I ever needed to be confirmed in my atheism, that exploitative "Pray For Madeleine" headline that graced their front cover for a whole week would be all it took.