# Why is Elizabeth Smart so newsworthy? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 13, 2003, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199 "2003-03-13T22:52:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kallessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7993a0/32.png) [@Kallessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kallessa)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/21 "2003-03-14T01:38:26Z")
I submitted before I was finished with my thought . . . I know that not every abduction or murder can be covered, and I’ll even accept that some situations are more compelling than others, but I will also say that a caucasian child is more likely to get national attention than children of other races. Once we admit that this is true, we may be able to change it. And regardless of her color or economic status, Elizabeth’s return home deserves coverage, simply becasue it is rare, and heartwarming to have a child returned. If the Gods smile, and Alexis is found alive, I just hope she gets the same coverage. ---
**Author:** ![cleops](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2acd7d/32.png) [@cleops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cleops)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/22 "2003-03-14T02:54:08Z")
Has it been determined to what degree she was actually “kidnapped” as opposed to running away? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/23 "2003-03-14T02:59:31Z")
Runaway? Huh? She was taken away at knife point by a virtual stranger who broke into her room in the middle of the night – with an eye witness. How many clues do you need there, Hercule? ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/24 "2003-03-14T03:24:11Z")
I heard that less that 2% of similar cases result in the child being found alive. Something that doesn’t happen very often is generally newsworthy. Brian ---
**Author:** ![cleops](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2acd7d/32.png) [@cleops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cleops)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/25 "2003-03-14T03:35:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jack Batty \* > \*\*Runaway? Huh? > > She was taken away at knife point by a virtual stranger who broke into her room in the middle of the night – with an eye witness. > > How many clues do you need there, Hercule? \*\* Ha! Yeah, I guess I couldn’t remember the lurid details, **JackB**. Thanks for straightening me out!:smack: ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/26 "2003-03-14T03:43:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cleops \* > \*\*Has it been determined to what degree she was actually “kidnapped” as opposed to running away? \*\* That’s the latest I heard: that when the police first approached her, she said, “I know who you think I am…You think I’m Elizabeth Smart—that girl who ran away.” Which, of course, she may have been coached to say. That’s why this is getting so much coverage—because the story won’t really be over until it’s determined what “Emmanuel” wanted with her, and to what extent she may have been brainwashed. ---
**Author:** ![HelloKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecccb3/32.png) [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/27 "2003-03-14T04:01:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Scarlett67 \* > \*\*Because we NEED some good news, dammit? \*\* AMEN to that!!! ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/28 "2003-03-14T04:14:15Z")
I think it’s pretty simple. Virtually no missing children show up alive after 9 months, especially under weird circumstances with mysterious religious zealots. I was sure she was dead; I’m floored that she’s alive, and so are most people. Therefore, it’s newsworthy. Media coverage: she disappeared during a so-called ‘string’ of child abductions last summer, when kidnappings were big news during a slow season. Virtually every kidnapping was making national news at the time, but that’s no longer happening now that the fad is over and war is in the news. Most of the other children turned up dead; one (African-American girl) escaped and was given nationwide coverage. ES’s parents are wealthy and spent huge amounts of time and resources to keep her in the public eye long after most cases would have disappeared; but they’ve also helped other missing children. Probably white kids do get more coverage, but I’m not sure how much more; maybe we should do a study and look at percentages! I remember that when Xiana Fairchild (age 7, Hispanic or Pacific Islander, not sure) was kidnapped on her way to school, it was all we heard about locally for months until her remains were found. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/29 "2003-03-14T05:12:21Z")
I don’t know about anyone else–no generalizations implied or intended–but with my best, high-minded intentions about trying to stay informed, I get swamped in news overload _and it’s all bad_. Or if it isn’t bad, it’s confusing and contradictory. I take your point about the balance of news at the source, **Pantone**. I truly don’t know where the lines are anymore. Is a “tragedy” just nothing more than skillful news coverage that spins a recognizable face? Maybe it’s consumer overload, but I’m just happy that one child made it back home safely. I _know_ the focus is skewed. Elizabeth Smart was just one of so many kids who get lost, get stolen, get brutalized, get killed. I _know_ that her face was just one among many. She might be a symbol, which is unfair or representational, I dunno. There are just too many. But she’s also still just a kid, too rare among all those faces, _who made it back home safely._ I was convinced she was murdered and buried–or not, just dumped, maybe to be found–or not–years later. But one kid made it back home safely. Symbolic or not, fair or not, I’ll take hope and joy where I can get it. Veb ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/30 "2003-03-14T14:20:29Z")
We need a story with a happy ending, because the OTHER news story (Iraq) will not have a happy ending. It is a diversion, and a very happy one at that (we hope). I agree that it’s a shame that the less affluent, less beautiful children who are still missing don’t get the same coverage, but it doesn’t detract from the fact that this kid beat the odds. She got lucky, and her story came at just the right time. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/31 "2003-03-14T16:40:43Z")
My friend, a girl, 14 was missing & she looks just like this girl & was on an missing person’s poster at our local store. They found her but she got no press. Sometimes I wonder why people got press & why other did not. Who could forget the Stayner kidnapping? They found him, but look what happened to him. I don’t mean any offense to anyone, but sometimes I wonder if he would have been better off not being found. ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/32 "2003-03-14T17:05:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handy \* > \*\*Who could forget the Stayner kidnapping? They found him, but look what happened to him. I don’t mean any offense to anyone, but sometimes I wonder if he would have been better off not being found. \*\* How’s that? I know his brother ended up going a bit loopy (he was the Yosemite killer) but what makes you think Steven would have been better off staying with his pedophile kidnapper instead of escaping _and_ rescuing the little boy said kidnapper had recently brought home? ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/33 "2003-03-14T17:28:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by belladonna \* > \*\*How’s that? I know his brother ended up going a bit loopy (he was the Yosemite killer) but what makes you think Steven would have been better off staying with his pedophile kidnapper instead of escaping _and_ rescuing the little boy said kidnapper had recently brought home? \*\* Well, he died later in a motorcycle crash. I guess being held by a pedophile is better. (That’s my interpretation of the handy-logic.) Some of y’all are missing the point: this isn’t big news cause she was _kidnapped_. It’s big news because she \*came home alive[/i.] ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/34 "2003-03-14T17:29:29Z")
I got chills when they announced they had found her. I am also very curious as to what happened to her during these past 9 months. I think the general public is also curious about it. ---
**Author:** ![SlowMindThinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@SlowMindThinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlowMindThinking)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/35 "2003-03-14T18:00:32Z")
Don’t forget that one reason Stayner finally managed to escape was that he knew he was going to be killed for being too old. I think generally stories need an angle to get a lot of press. In the string of kidnappings last summer you had: 1. A small girl kidnapped from her home while her dad was \* awake \* raped and murdered by a neighbor who had been dancing with the mom. 2. A girl raped and murdered in broad daylight from her grandmother’s apartment complex. 3. Elizabeth Smart kidnapped at knife point in front of her little sister. 4. The other big story last year was the FLA girl who was missing for somewhere around a year, without her caseworker knowing it. I don’t know if race had anything to do with it. That five year old black, excuse me, African American, child who was thrown out a window by children for not stealing for them mad national press. The white kid who merely had nails pounded into his feet got a mere mention. Handy, was your friend kidnapped in any especially “newsworthy” fashion? I don’t Alexis gets so little press, but I do know a 2 year old white boy was not brought home by his sitter here in CO. It got an Amber alert, but did not even make the front page here. (He was found and returned. The sitter claimed she got lost and ran out of gas and was stuck out overnight.) ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/36 "2003-03-14T18:14:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Indygrrl \* > \*\*I got chills when they announced they had found her. I am also very curious as to what happened to her during these past 9 months. I think the general public is also curious about it. \*\* I, too, was AMAZED at the news! [slight hijack] I think that what happened to her over the 9 months is on a lot of peoples’ minds; however I think it’s possible for the news media to take speculation a bit too far. For example, this morning on the TODAY show (I know, I know–but I like some noise while I’m getting ready for work), there was an interview with Immanuel’s ex-wife and children. They said the typical stuff everybody wanted to hear: that he was controlling and abusive towards them, yadda yadda . . . But then Katie Couric asks the ex-wife to speculate about what may have happened to Elizabeth during those 9 months! The woman hadn’t been married to the man for ages (and was only with him for about 5 years), and the kids hadn’t even seen his ass for a good 10 years! What the hell good is it going to do anyone for her to take relatively uninformed guesses about what he might have done to Elizabeth Smart? I was so happy when the wife refused to speculate on that. The kicker was that later on in the show (I left for work before this), they were planning to interview PATTY HEARST about what it’s like to be kidnapped and brainwashed. OK, is it just me, or are they _scrambling_ for straws, here? I think the widespread curiosity about what happened to that girl in the last 9 months is perfectly understandable–I wonder myself–but in the absence of any facts about it thus far, the media could quite possibly go a little nuts with it. I have no doubt that the girl was subjected to horrible things we probably _don’t_ really want to know about, but can we avoid whipping up a speculation frenzy until we know SOMETHING??? [\slight hijack] (Note: None of this post is directed at YOU, **Indygrrl** –I just got a little carried away, here.) ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/37 "2003-03-14T18:26:10Z")
**auntie em** , I don’t think I’ve ever even seen the Today Show, but as soon as you wrote “Katie Couric” I knew where that was going. Count on Katie Couric to ask some horrible and insensitive question! I can’t imagine why anyone would even go on one of those shows, sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/38 "2003-03-14T18:40:45Z")
I’m amazed anyone has any interest in these stupid human interest stories. IIRC, when this story first came out, India and Pakistan were on the verge of NUCLEAR WAR WHICH WOULD HAVE KILLED TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, and all the news covers for weeks is a bunch of cute little kids. Sure, it’s tragic, but who really cares? Shit happens all the time - it’s not the duty of national news to report every little bad thing that’s happened - especially ahead of some BIG HONKING MAJOR NEWS elsewhere. I could see it if India and Pakistan did end up blowing themsleves up. Front page: “Child abducted!” Second page: “400 million killed in Asia.” ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/39 "2003-03-14T18:45:39Z")
Oh, and yeah, it’s nice that it’s a happy ending and all that, but the girl has probably gotten more news coverage in all these months than non-iraq world news has. ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/40 "2003-03-14T18:57:25Z")
I thought that this story was no better than local news until she turned up alive. There’s (sadly) a lot of missing children. That’s not news. But a missing child turning up alive and well 9 months after the fact, ok, then there’s a story. But nowhere near the magnitude that the media (especially cable news channels) are giving it. Ashleigh Banfield owes a good percentage of whatever she makes to this poor little girl. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199.md?page=3)