And the Bad News Is....
Robert Hawkins was a sad twisted young man who wanted to kill others, die and be famous. Sometimes I wish we didnt' have to make his final dream come true. Hawkins said he wanted to 'go out in style' before he went to the mall in Omaha with murder on his mind. He knew he'd get what he wanted. All he had to do was watch the news. From Columbine to Virginia Tech..we in the media make names and faces of guys like Dylan Klebold and Seung Wi Cho famous.
Now we get still pictures of Hawkins opening fire on helpless shoppers and I wonder--should we be showing this? Is it somehow encouraging some other troubled loaner go out in a blaze of murderous glory? We don't report suicides for this very reason.
It would be crazy to advocate ignoring a story like the attacks in Omaha or at Virginia Tech. I'm talking about where we draw the lines. Is there a place where solid coverage rolls over into irresponsible sensationalism?
Certainly there is. I guess a more important question is...where is that border?
posted by Derek McGinty @ 6:10 PM
4 Comments
Links to this post
4 Comments:
The CCTV images and the computer animation are the border. Did anyone really need a graphic demonstrating the shooter's path? Did the families of those shot down visualize where their loved ones would have been standing as the animation played over and over, and cry harder?
Is the public's greed for juicy gossip worth more than the emotional injuries such things might inflict on the victims or others?
I realize that the media is driven by ratings, and that's what pays your salaries. But I can't help but think that the reporting of this particular shooting was less about reporting the news - and a lot more about recreating it.
That's the border.
Hello Derek...
You are so right..Just knowing that this will get maxium coverage helps insite these ignarant,weak minded,immature young people!
(I CANT TYPE WHAT ID LIKE TO)
I just dont understand the 'thought process' of todays young people..
They've got things much better than we did growing up..
But they are so angry...
And their 1st response always is to KILL someone and or KILL themselves!
SO SAD!
AS for an immediate response to these kids..
every parent should do..what I used to do..
When kids are gone..
SEARCH THEIR ROOM !
As a parent I did this and I was entirely SHOCKED at all the objectional items I found!
PARENTS NEED TO TOTALLY TAKE CHARGE OF THEIR KIDS!
I agree with moonwolf.
I think you can report the news without too much elaboration or rather dramatization. That all this other stuff can be studied by the agencies that need to digest the information. All the public needs to know is who what when where and why, not so much HOW.
When you read a book or see a movie you often identify with a character. When the story is told in so much detail to so many people, it's no wonder that some end up identifying, and some decide to act it out (copy cats).
Competition for the 'whole story' has made "how" too important a selling point.
I feel it's important for the news to police itself, turn it down some and just give us the facts surrounding the event without all the gruesome details.
The tickler is in need to know, how much do we the people "need to know". I think as long as we have a free commercial press, that won't be too important a concern; because the problem now is TMI.
I also have issues with tabloid journalism used as filler, because all of that I don't need to know.
Selling the News...
I hate to say this so bruskly, but this is simply a sign of the times to me. Everyone's so intolerant and evil towards people that are different than them, that I really don't know why this recent rash of mass murders is a surprise to anyone. Yes, it's a horrible state of affairs when people feel the need to act out their frustrations in a violent rampage, but there is a cause that everyone is ignoring. To Cho, Hawkins and the rest of the powder kegs that exploded, life is so hellish that they want to share the suffering before ending their own suffering. They wanted someone to cry like they did possibly on a daily basis. Perhaps even, they wanted to cause enough confusion in their surroundings so that everyone they affected would feel that same confusion that they feel for a few days or weeks that they've felt their entire lives. Did it or will it work? Probably not. I'm going to be called a sympathizer, right? No, I have no sympathy for what they did, but I know why they did it. I went through hell trying to fit in during high school, but I didn't hurt anyone even if in my mind they might have deserved it. These rampages need to be reminders that it matters how you treat people... ALL PEOPLE. I thought that Columbine would've taught that back in '99, but obviously it didn't. Now, these powder kegs are shooting up malls, schools and even taking it to God's doorstep like the last one in Colorado! If you keep getting the same result, maybe you need to change your approach.
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home