# Space Shuttle Comments by newscasters **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 1, 2003, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122 "2003-02-01T17:39:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CuriousCanuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@CuriousCanuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CuriousCanuck)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122/1 "2003-02-01T17:39:34Z")
CNN - the worlds best source for slanted biased news reporting had this gem offered up by one of its newscasters: [as close to a quote as I can recall] “It is truly a shame to the people of Isreal that after surviving the Holocaust that something like this could happen” [/as close to a quote as I can recall] Now correct me if I am wrong, but THE MASS MURDER OF MILLIONS OF JEWS IN THE 1940S HAS FUCK ALL TO DO WITH THE TRAGEDY OF THE SHUTTLE CREW PERISHING ON RE-ENTRY 60 YEARS LATER. I feel for the family of the crew members lost today. It is truly a sad day. But to all the newsmakers out there: IF YOU HAVE NOTHING INTELLIGENT TO SAY THEN GO TO COMMERCIAL OR STOP FILLING THE AIRWAVES WITH THE BULLSHIT THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SPEWING. If any of you have heard ay other “gems” then feel free to add them. And for the love of [insert diety preferred here] please please plase shut up rather then reporting the “news” that you have been. focus on the facts and do not try to draw paralells between other tragedies. To do so belittles both of them. ---
**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122/2 "2003-02-01T18:48:36Z")
Um, aside from the irrelevance of the quote, I wonder if the newscaster realized that _ **Israel didn’t even exist during World War II!!!** _ Idiocy knows no bounds, it seems. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122/3 "2003-02-01T19:19:54Z")
Well, it’s about 2:00 and CNN already has their lacrymose “we’re going to try to make you feel even SADDER about this” background music keyed up, like it’s a Movie of the Week. Oh, and President Bush just came on to talk about God. THAT makes things clearer, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_The\_Diver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Buck\_The\_Diver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_The_Diver)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122/4 "2003-02-01T19:21:22Z")
Fucking talking heads without a teleprompter usually equals massive amounts of useless bullshit filling the airwaves. Jerkoffs. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122/5 "2003-02-01T19:22:58Z")
I took exception to [this](http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1078668,00.html) on the UK’s Sky News: > [@](#): > > The shuttle had its first Israeli pilot on this mission, Ilan Ramon, 48. There is no indication that terrorism was involved in this tragedy. How heavily-laden with portent and innuendo can you make a non-sequiteur? ---
**Author:** ![litost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@litost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/litost)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122/6 "2003-02-01T19:32:49Z")
If that’s your sensitivity point, don’t listen to the Israeli ambassador to the US who is everywhere talking about the fight of good versus evil. ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122/7 "2003-02-01T19:33:59Z")
Brain Williams on NBC kept saying things to the effect of: “Now I don’t mean to sound ghoulish, but…” Yerg. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122/8 "2003-02-01T20:06:45Z")
“Don’t they have parachutes or something ?” -unknown but telegenic ---
**Author:** ![Beagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Beagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beagle)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122/9 "2003-02-01T20:28:28Z")
Dammit, Chris Jansing, it’s NAS"A" - not Nassau. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122/10 "2003-02-01T20:39:49Z")
Hey, guys, what do you expect? Obviously, people are going to want to hear about this, but the fact remains… well… there’s nothing to report aside from “Shuttle went boom”. It’s gonna take weeks - months - to even start to figure things out from here. They very well can’t just say, “Something REALLY BAD happens, no details, now back to Bugs Bunny,” can they? ---
**Author:** ![Pedro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@Pedro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pedro)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122/11 "2003-02-01T20:44:36Z")
There was a woman saying her kids were really excited to be part of history just because a piece of debris fell on their backyard. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122/12 "2003-02-01T20:55:20Z")
Well, that woman’s an idiot. And optimistic, too. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122/13 "2003-02-01T20:57:09Z")
**New York’s own 1010WINS** , as best I can recall how he worded it: “Now, when the Challenger blew up back in the 1980s, NASA’s space program came to a halt. No shuttles were launched for a period of three years while NASA went over everything with a fine tooth comb to reduce the chances of reoccurrence. They could put a moratorium on launches again after the events of today, which could pose a problem for the space program, especially the people orbiting on board the space station.” Uh,…yeah, better bring them down first, I guess. **My girlfriend** : “This is what happens when reporters feel the need to fill dead air space” **Me** : “I think I know where the dead air space is…” ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122/14 "2003-02-01T21:04:59Z")
I was watching the TODAY show when I heard the “Special Report” music and announcement. When the newscaster first spoke he said, “Good afternoon.” I imagine that these folks get pretty shaken by the event and the requirements of off-the-cuff coverage. Yes, there were stupid things said. I heard the one mentioned in the OP and it also caught my attention and seemed a little strange. But, under the circumstances, I cut the reporters some slack. ---
**Author:** ![dietrologia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@dietrologia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dietrologia)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122/15 "2003-02-01T21:33:47Z")
**AlHunter3** , I don’t see what problem you have with that statement. I was listening to news on the radio for a portion of the morning and it was just rehashing the basic facts of this accident. It wasn’t until a reporter brought up how this will affect the International Space Station that I finally heard something newsworthy after the first 30 seconds of the first lead story I heard. I mean, it poses some real questions. What how _will_ the International Space Station be affected? Do they have enough supplies? Are supplies sent via Space Shuttle or via unmanned satellite (as one reporter suggested)? I think these are questions which should be explored and I for one was glad to hear a discussion about the possible permutations this accident will have on the immediate and ongoing international space program. Rather than take it for inane commentary as you did, I thought it was an intelligent discussion amidst a vacuum of news rehash. ---
**Author:** ![CuriousCanuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@CuriousCanuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CuriousCanuck)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122/16 "2003-02-01T21:34:11Z")
Sorry Zoe but I have to disagree. Reporters need to be hired based not just on their on air “look” but also in how they handle crisis events. Comments made should be professional and related to the subject at hand. I understand that some people get shaken by events, but people reporting them, though human, also need to maintain some sense of reality about what is going on and not just report anything that comes to mind in order to fill airspace. (How was that for a long sentence?) Show some emotion if you need to while reporting. But report the facts, and not just inane meaningless and irresponsible blatehrings. Professionalism over sensationalism. ---
**Author:** ![bbeaty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c0e974/32.png) [@bbeaty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbeaty)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122/17 "2003-02-01T21:40:58Z")
> [@](#): > > there’s nothing to report aside from “Shuttle went boom”. It’s gonna take weeks - months - to even start to figure things out from here. I’m amazed. NASA is instantly reporting what happened, no bureaucratic delays or careful information release. This is science done right: people of high integrity acting with total honesty. Thermal sensor data channels lost on the left wing during the time of maximum reentry heating (as if cabling was being destroyed.) And eyewitnesses in California reporting debris following the Shuttle BEFORE maximum reentry heating, as if some tiles were lost early on. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122/18 "2003-02-01T21:56:11Z")
> [@](#): > > I mean, it poses some real questions. What how will the International Space Station be affected? Do they have enough supplies? Are supplies sent via Space Shuttle or via unmanned satellite (as one reporter suggested)? According to CNN, the ISS has supplies to last till June. I guess they’re normally resupplied by shuttle missions, although the Russians used to use unmanned Soyuz flights to resupply MIR. At about 9:00 this morning they mentioned on the radio that Columbia was due to land in a quarter of an hour. I thought to myself, “Gee, Columbia has been flying missions for 22 years now. Hope they don’t break up during reentry.” Of course, that occurs to me with each shuttle mission. Since there was nothing we could do about it, my girlfriend and I went to the movies. When the trailers came on, what did we see? A trailer for what looks to be a really stupid movie called _The Core_… showing a space shuttle crashing. Great. So now there are only two, _Discovery_ and _Atlantis_. We need a new generation of reusable space vehicles. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122/19 "2003-02-01T21:59:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Baldwin \* > \*\*So now there are only two, _Discovery_ and _Atlantis_. We need a new generation of reusable space vehicles. \*\* What happened to _Endeavour_? ---
**Author:** ![Sunshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122/20 "2003-02-01T22:03:08Z")
CNN put some on-screen text that said the shuttle was going “Mock 8” when it broke up. :rolleyes: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-shuttle-comments-by-newscasters/152122.md?page=2)