As I was watching the morning news today about Newtown , a reporter said something to the effect that they, the news, were getting wary looks from some of the citizens of that town. I said back to my TV, "Gee, ya think?".
Come on now. A huge mass of news related people converge on a town that is reeling from a horrific tragedy, asking parents and children for details of what they saw and how they feel. Even though the names of the poor victims are known and grief is tearing at the hearts of the families and friends of those who died, and the community, the news machine is still there pounding away reporting on the funerals. And this guy is questioning why they're getting looks??
It's time for the press to leave Newtown. They'll never find out exactly why Adam Lanza did what he did. Let the town come together, without intrusion, so they may be as one, offering each other support, comfort and love without a camera trying to record it. Let them grieve in peace, in private, and with respect.
I couldn't agree more, Donna. How can they grieve with someone shoving a microphone in their nose? Sadly, this is news, but it's been reported, most of the details are out. It's time for them to leave.
ReplyDeleteYes, like you said that's the news.
DeleteThanks for coming by, Maggie.
I know this is a different situation, but I live very close to the former home of Rusty and Andrea Yates. That was my first experience with seeing up-close and personal how callously present the media could be. It was beyond preposterous to see them camped out 24/7 in front of the house with media vans and portable satellites.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Donna. The media should leave Newtown. We have freedom of press, but at some point residents could make their stay far less welcoming. They don't all need to be there. Local news channels can cover what needs to be seen and heard and deliver it out as warranted.
I agree. Local news channels could cover if anything else might be uncovered and they wouldn't have to hang around the town just keep in touch with the police.
DeleteThanks for commenting.
This is completely different, but my mother-in-law was killed in a car wreck. It wasn't her fault, and she wasn't drunk. It was dark and the person driving her ran a stop sign. HOWEVER, the local media (small town East Texas) ran picture after picture on the news of the car in which she died with blood dripping out of it.
ReplyDeleteNow, here's the part that relates. That experience taught me something important about media. The exact lesson is hard to articulate, but suffice to say I often shake my head and roll my eyes when I see the stuff they do.
Sorry to hear what happened to your mother-in-law. That picture must have been horrific to you and the rest of the family. I can't even imagine. It definitely wasn't needed to be published. Sorry the news wasn't respectful everyone's feelings.
DeleteThank you for sharing this with us.
At this point, the press is there more for ratings than news. And I don't like how this might coax another person to violence to gain attention. Tell the story, but never divulge the name of the killer. They should get no coverage. Zero. Unfortunately, his name will be remembered by the masses longer than the names of those victims. It shouldn't happen.
ReplyDeleteYes,sensationalism for ratings is the name of the game. It's a shame.
DeleteUnfortunately you can't have an incident like this without needing to name the killer, but the news could minimalize the amount of coverage that person gets.
Thanks for stopping by.
The media should leave. They're doing nothing there at this point except disturbing these families in what should be a private time to deal with their personal tragedies, and immortalizing a disturbed killer. I never understand why reporters feel it's important to push their microphones in front of people who've just suffered a terrible loss, just to get a quote, or put up video that will tear someone's heart apart. What purpose does that serve anyone?
ReplyDeleteWe were watching a broadcast a few days ago and during a particularly violent story there was a voiceover that said "some viewers might find the following footage offensive or disturbing". If the station thought it might be offensive, why did they put it on in the first place? You're right, Donna, they should let those in Newtown grieve in peace. At this point it's just heartless sensationalism.
You're right Lynne, it is heartless sensationalism and question what purpose does it serve. I don't understand the need for it.
ReplyDeleteAppreciate your comment. Thanks.
The media in Newtown has forced some of the families to leave the area for the holidays. They just can't take the constant bombardment. I pray things settle down soon so the residents can grieve in peace.
ReplyDeleteRelated to Catie's comment, my family was involved in an incident many years ago that was reported in the news. There were 7-10 errors in each article. It was laughable how poor their source and fact checking was (including large papers such as NYTimes). Remember, the article is only as good as the person writing it, and often they are working so quickly to get out the news they cut corners at the expense of accuracy. Shameful.
It is a shame. There is no good reason for shoddy work especially when others rely on that work for information.
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