# Why is Elizabeth Smart so newsworthy?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199>\
**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:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**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, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/41 "2003-03-14T22:59:40Z")

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“Handy, was your friend kidnapped in any especially “newsworthy” fashion?”

Not that I know of, I wasn’t sure I should ask her family for the specifics. I guess she more like ran away, but that’s something people don’t know right away.

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**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/42 "2003-03-15T01:02:56Z")

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I agree with **SenorBeef** , mostly.

Is this an _important_ story? Not in the least.

Is this an _endlessly fascinating_ story from a somewhat emotionally vicarious and voyeuristic perspective, with a _powerful hook of empathy?_ Absolutely.

That’s what dictates how the news media cater to our mosquito-sized attention span these days, apparently.

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**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/43 "2003-03-15T02:29:11Z")

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**Cervaise** , you are quite right. Suspense sells. People don’t tune in just to hear what happened; they tune in to hear continuations, and speculations about what is going to happen next. As I said in a different thread on this suspect, the other shoe hasn’t dropped yet, because we still don’t know what went on while Elizabeth was with Manny and his wife. That’s what people are hoping to hear about.

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**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-elizabeth-smart-so-newsworthy/161199/44 "2003-03-15T02:30:18Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> _Originally posted by Rilchiam \*  
> \*\* As I said in a different thread on this suspect_\*

…_subject_…

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