I understand Tuesday’s all-day, all-night coverage. Although it felt like it was on a loop, I was as glued to the tube as anyone else – I wanted to know what was happening, I wanted information.
Wednesday I understood. I wanted to know what was happening, I wanted information, I wanted to hear some interpretations, as much as I disagreed with much of what I heard, I wanted to hear it.
Thursday, Today, Tomorrow: the media is showing its vulture roots again. Thursday afternoon I saw a completely disgusting piece on CBC where some ninny of a reporter was holding up pieces of paper that had been blown off one of the trucks removing rubble from the WTC wreckage and exclaiming about how “the paper had probably come from one of the actual towers [sic]”. In order to fill that solid block of time, the media is nattering and blabbering and in doing so is trivializing what has happened.
I’m not calling for a return of frivolous “entertainment” – I’m calling for a little dignity. Rather than filling the airwaves with increasingly trivial talking heads, train a camera on the recovery efforts, then SHUT THE F*** UP. If some new FACT is discovered, break in and report on it. Then butt out again…
In their efforts to prevent the broadcasting faux pas of “dead air”, they are descending into triviality. I demand better of them, so should we all.
I’m tired of the manipulative, tear-jerker stories. I really want to hear intelligent commentators and experts trying to tell us what’s probably going to happen next, and how to prepare. Maybe suggesting some ways to help beyond giving blood. They don’t need to keep repeating the footage that they have of the plane crash. And they certainly don’t need those computerized recreations of the crashes they didn’t manage to capture on film.
Also, there have been a lot of stories in the past few days about people who have lost someone in the crash or are looking for lost relatives. The reporter goes into the person’s whole life history and shows the widow/family/children crying on camera. It hurts to watch those, and it just feels like the reporters are being heartless and exploitative. It would be better if they simply ran pictures of the missing people, perhaps with solemn music. Or maybe run the pictures in a split screen and have news and commentary on the other side.
Ariadane, Bush made his first good move of his young presidency by clamming up on what he, Cheney and Powell are about to do. What we do know is that Powell is getting all free nations on Earth by the US side. He has Israel work more feverishly with the Palestinians one last time.
Also, bin Laden wanted the 5000 lives lost and the thousands of injuries to be a statistic, and make us tremble in fear. We in New York City made sure that it is personally felt by all, and the names of all who were will never be forgotten, nor have died in vain. There will be no fear, but instead love, that will spring from this tragedy. Even those who hate us the most, including those in our country, tremble at the resolve and determination of the citizens and civil workers of New York City, led by Rudolph Guiliani, to get back on our feet. Thank you volunteers, doctors and nurses and rescue operators from around the world for helping us in this regard.
I thought it was pretty amazing yesterday when they found the passport of one of the hijackers 3 blocks away from the crash site. Wow! I wonder where their bodies are.
However, it’s time for them to stop 24 hour coverage. Let’s go to an extended (1 hour news hour) until something else happens.