Fox News just aired a live suicide following a car chase.

[RedStateLiberal]

They showed it live.

Shep Smith apologizing to viewers. That's not enough. I'm very disturbed by seeing that and disgusted they'd not put it on delay. Sickening.

[DisabledAmerican]

1. Do not watch fox news

They are also going on about impeaching the president over covering up Libya attack.

[jmowreader]

8. They always want to impeach Democratic presidents

Fox News was formed to get Clinton impeached. They've been working on impeaching Obama since Election Day 2008.

[DisabledAmerican]

17. Apparently they think this one will stick

saw it at Thinkprogress

http://thinkprogress.org/security/2012/09/28/925781/huckabee-suggests-obama-should-be-impeached-over-libya-incident/

HUCKABEE: It was a planned orchestrated attack led by terrorists, terrorists, Bill. And this White House has to explain why it hasn’t owned up to that. Why it can’t say it. I think frankly, if this issue really gets traction that it deserves, and let it say it deserves, go back. Richard Nixon was forced out of office because he lied. And because he covered some stuff up. I will be blunt and tell you this. Nobody died in Watergate. We have people who are dead because of this. There are questions to be answered and Americans ought to demand to get answers. [...]

HEMMER: Just one more thing here. What you’re describing, comparing events of today to Watergate.

HUCKABEE: I sure am….Bill, i’m not saying this just out of some political interest. I’m saying that our trust as a nation is built on our ability to know that when our president, whoever he is, Democrat or Republican, looks us in the eye and tells us something, we ought to know he is telling us the truth.

[Jazzgirl]

35. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Seriously who cares what they think? Stick what? Seriously, bush is responsible for more deaths for the lies he told getting us in Iraq and Afghanistan and nobody impeached his ass. Of course this isn't like Watergate and neither were Iraq and Afghanistan. Bush flat out lied and got hundreds of thousands of Iraqis killed but thats okay. Puh-leez.

[Lint Head]

58. Huclabee is an irrelevant prick. Bush was a damn torturing murderer and he hasn't been impeached.

[jorno67]

92. OK, 4 Americans Killed by terrorists and the Whitehouse needs to own it?

Or the President should be impeached...Somebody call George W Bush and give him a heads up!

[RedStateLiberal]

18. I monitor Faux News for RNC propaganda

So I know how they're spinning the facts.

[DisabledAmerican]

20. Even when I had pain meds it wasn't enough

to watch fox news. Trust me I've been on some high level pain meds since I became disable at work. There wasn't one that could make me watch fox news.

[jmowreader]

2. How would they have known beforehand?

[NightWatcher]

7. they used to show car chases with a 10 second delay

then they'd cut the feed if it got nasty

[avebury]

111. The time delay was only 5 seconds. By the time

Shepard Smith was telling them to cut if off it was already too late.

[RedStateLiberal]

10. It is common practice to put car chases on delay

in case it ends badly. This one ended with a suicide. Guy was far away from cops, pulled over and ran with a gun then stopped and put it to his head and pulled the trigger. None of it was on delay. Shep tried to explain that they put it on delay and apologized. It was not on a delay, they showed it and it made me sick. They have no shame.

[NightWatcher]

3. classy, but typical. They got tired of the train wreck that is the R$ campaign?

[oldhippydude]

4. this is a new low...

but hardly a surprise

[Warpy]

5. "If it bleeds, it leads"

has been the motto for a lot of news organizations. Lead stories are often based on whether or not there is video, especially on local stations, rather than importance to viewers. News has become totally tabloid and Pox is leading the pack.

It's why I turned them off in 2004.

[DemzRock]

6. Maybe they will have to specialize in snuff films after the election to keep their ratings. n/t

[Liberal_in_LA]

9. LA had a car chase this morning that ended peacefully, I think

[Bennyboy]

11. This could have happened on any station

LIVE is thing? Do you want to see taped and edited footage? How many live Car chases have you seen? They are live.

[RedStateLiberal]

12. No they usually put these on delay in case they end badly.

This one ended very badly and they failed to use a delay.

[DrDan]

90. exactly - he tried to cut away as soon as he saw the delay was not working

but the camera caught it. I happened to be watching at the time.

It could happen to any station.

[NightWatcher]

13. Think of all the public places, Dr.'s offices, restaurants....that show nothing but Fox "News"

I wonder how many little kids just saw brains on the windshield.

[slampoet]

14. Mention this along w the exact date and time to every place that plays FOX in public.

[svip]

15. As if life for Rupert couldn't get any worse ..

.. now he's gonna have to write a MASSIVE check to the FCC.

[TheMightyFavog]

66. No, Fox News is a cable channel.

The courts have determined that the FCC cannot control content on cable.

However, if there's some over the air station that simulcasts Fox News, then there might be a case...

[lpbk2713]

16. I expect they will replay it countless times

"In the interest of journalistic accuracy" of course.

[myrna minx]

21. His alleged crimes have nothing to do with FOX airing a suicide.

Take your personal attacks back to FOX nation, please.

[treestar]

144. I was just thinking that there would be some right wingers commenting

exactly along those lines on the Fox boards or yahoo boards and the like, but we got our own personal troll to do it here!

[RedStateLiberal]

23. If it was on delay why did they show it?

So you're saying they CHOSE to show someone blowing their brains out live on Fox News. That's worse than what I'm saying: that they were very irresponsible for allowing that to air.

Enjoy your stay here.

[Brickbat]

25. Yeah, RedStateLiberal! REAL men can watch live suicides while they're griling steaks!

[d_b]

29. hahaha

[RedStateLiberal]

30. I'm sure it gave that troll a huge boner.

They are sick in the head. Seriously.

[Brickbat]

34. Looks like a couple of them picked this very special time just to reply to you.

Not bad work, for a Friday!

[RedStateLiberal]

44. And they're gone.

Thank you MIRT!

[Great Caesars Ghost]

109. The Troll Patrol is always on the job :)

[Ellipsis]

26. Somebody didn't eat thier Trollios today.

Welcome to the board.

Remember that next time you see live war footage on TV... oh but you won't will you?

[kestrel91316]

31. Don't you dare come on here and start right off the bat abusing DUers.

F--- YOURSELF, troll.

[Kindly Refrain]

32. THE INTERNET MAKES ME SOOOO ANGRY!!!!

AGGHHHHHHHH!!!!

[BeyondGeography]

33. Babe Ruth says hello

[RedStateLiberal]

27. I refuse to watch it again.

Thanks for posting I guess...

[Maeve]

107. It's okay now--the video has been pulled eom

[ksoze]

28. That was sad, but it was tame compared to 8:00pm network TV

Graphically it was PG at best. Do you watch TV and see what is on there today. Makes that look like Disney.

[RedStateLiberal]

37. You do understand the difference between reality and fiction right?

Watching someone end their own life live on TV is hardly PG. WTF?

[ksoze]

39. Slow down and take a deep breath...

I said it was sad, but GRAPHICALLY it was tame compared to even network TV shows. It may have been Emotionally graphic, but the shot was way off and is nothing compared to other such events which have been GRAPHICALLY worse.

[RedStateLiberal]

41. So that makes it okay?

They were incredibly irresponsible for letting that air live. That's the point of this thread. I really don't see the point of trying to minimize it by comparing it to fictionalized violence but whatever floats your boat.

[nadinbrzezinski]

67. Actually, and I will violate a code in US Media

I wish they did it more often, we stopped pretending this does not happen.

Reporting used to be far more graphic... and it is STILL this graphic in many places around the world.

Yes, it is disturbing... it should be disturbing.

[renie408]

42. THIS is why it is fucked up.

Because we have gotten so...I don't even know...depraved?? as a society that somebody would say LIKE IT IS A GOOD THING "Oh, well, the shot was so far off and is nothing, really"

WHAT THE FUCK?

[ksoze]

46. when you quote someone, the extra stuff really sweetens it up

to be clear one more time, I responded to the GRAPHIC warning. I found the act sad and horrible. I found the video tame GRAPHICALLY compared to what our kids see EVERYDAY on regular TV and video games. I get the pumped outrage since it was Fox, but back off with the faux outrage over something I did not say.

[renie408]

49. You are equating a real human being committing suicide

to a video game.

It's not faux anything. I AM outraged. And honey, that was aimed AT YOU, not at FOX.

[randome]

65. Your point is not lost on everyone.

[renie408]

78. The point wasn't 'lost' on anybody. I disagree with him.

[randome]

133. Good enough.

[myrna minx]

48. Comparing fictional programs and a live, daytime suicide broadcast into dentist offices, lobbies,

of all types and restaurants is just rather shocking. I don't even know what to say about this caviler attitude toward real live violence.

[MrSlayer]

36. You couldn't really even see anything.

I saw the R. Budd Dwyer suicide when I was a kid. This was nothing in comparison.

[reformist2]

43. Oh no....why oh why did I YouTube that? :(

[nolabear]

108. I saw that too. Horrific. Everyone was in shock.

I always wonder at the rage that makes someone do what he did. He spared no one. The FOX situation was different, though no less tragic.

[reformist2]

38. Quality journalism, as always. :rolleyes:

[renie408]

40. HOLY SHIT! That is so wrong!

[Panasonic]

45. Fox News needs to be placed under arrest.

In other words, Rupert Murdoch needs to be indicted for this disgusting and exploitative behavior of that said TV Nooz assholes.

Every car chase always winds up on Faux. Cops was cancelled years ago.

[mike_c]

47. then why were you watching, for pete's sake?

Why would you watch a live pursuit in real time if you fear being offended by tragic outcomes? Don't you think YOU have any responsibility for your choices, or is it entirely up to news agencies to sanitize reality for you?

[renie408]

50. Actually, that's not a bad point.

I don't think they should film chases at all. But having done so, I think out of respect for the guy who ended up killing himself on live TV, that they should have had it on delay.

[RedStateLiberal]

53. Because I expect them to have it on a delay.

They claimed they did have it on delay but they showed the suicide anyway.

And I wasn't watching for a car chase. I monitor all the cable news channels during the day while I work using the DirecTV News Mix. I noticed a car chase on Fox and saw the ending.

They have a responsibility to their viewers to not let something so disturbing air. I am criticizing them for such irresponsible broadcasting.

This isn't about me. It's about a news network showing a live suicide to millions of Americans. But, I guess it's all my fault for watching based on your unfair assumptions.

[randome]

59. It's a dumb mistake by Fox, no doubt.

But it doesn't do them any good to have broadcast it so, what's the point of this thread? To say they aren't very good at their jobs? We already know that.

And a slip-up like this, I would imagine, could happen to any news organization that jumps on the chance to film something live, thinking it's 'just' a car chase.

Maybe they'll be fined. So what? Stations are fined all the time.

I just don't get the outrage.

[RedStateLiberal]

63. So I can't post a thread to point out irresponsible broadcasting?

That's the point of this thread as I've repeated over and over in comments.

For the record if MSNBC or CNN had done this I'd be just as outraged.

Fox fucked up big time and that deserves to be called out. Just think of all the kids that could have seen this on all the TV sets that show Faux News all over the country in waiting rooms or restaurants. If that doesn't deserve outrage I don't know what else does.

[randome]

70. 'Irresponsible' or a studio fuck-up.

Apparently viewers could hear personnel in the background saying to cut the feed but it wasn't in time. Someone fucked up or the equipment did. Either way, even for Fox News, that's hard to see as 'irresponsible', IMO.

Sometimes a fuck-up is just a fuck-up.

[RedStateLiberal]

81. It's irresponsible to have such a studio fuck-up.

Especially when it comes to car chases. Everyone puts them on delay to avoid exactly what happened live today on Fox News.

[randome]

87. It WAS on delay and they failed to pull the plug.

You can hear the personnel in the background trying to stop it. Somebody or some component screwed up.

[RedStateLiberal]

95. They claimed it was on a delay.

I have no reason to believe them since they aired it anyway. If the delay wasn't working then they shouldn't have it on at all. If the delay was working then they showed it on purpose. Either way they fucked up and that's irresponsible.

[randome]

130. Why are you so intent on this?

No one knows when a component will fail until...it fails! A faulty time delay is more plausible than Fox News wanting to gross out their viewers.

[RedStateLiberal]

138. Why are you so intent on excusing them?

I've never claimed they wanted to gross out their viewers. I've only said they were irresponsible in the way they handled the coverage of this event. They probably shouldn't have been covering it to begin with but they chose to do so, so they should have taken precautions to make sure they wouldn't show what they DID indeed show. They deserve to be held accountable.

Even if it was just a fuck up, they should still be held accountable. People should know how they fucked up and the consequences of their mistake. I was greatly disturbed by what I saw. Imagine all the sets in waiting rooms and restaurants that show that channel and all the kids who might have seen the suicide. If I was traumatized I can imagine a lot of people were as well. Fuck up or not, they do deserve criticism whether you agree or not.

[mike_c]

73. so they have a responsibility to keep viewers psychologically aroused and excited...

...with "entertaining" bits of edgy reality, like live high speed pursuits, but they should protect you from having to see how they actually end if things don't turn out well? I don't buy it.

Fair disclosure-- I turned the TV off permanently in 1990. I still think THAT is the appropriate way to protect oneself from the possibility of seeing offensive stuff on the box.

[randome]

76. I salute you!

That's not snark, BTW.

[RedStateLiberal]

83. I don't think car chases are any of those things.

Or even newsworthy. If they're going to cover it they should do so responsibly. Why is this lost on so many people?

[lunatica]

51. You're right. It's really irresponsible to show it.

they know better. But I wouldn't put it past them to pretend to not notice and let it pass. They're losing ratings while Rachel Maddow gains them. She's beating them now.

[Drunken Irishman]

52. The media needs to stop broadcasting car chases...

No good ever comes from 'em. I don't understand the fascination with car chases in this country.

[renie408]

54. /\ That/\

Exactly. They shouldn't be filming it at all.

[nadinbrzezinski]

57. Two points

1.- I tend to tweet them when they happen so people can AVOID THEM.

2.- They are really easy stories.

And on a slow news day, news copters justify their existence.

[Jennicut]

80. Totally right. Why do we need to watch that crap?

I say it all got worse with the OJ car chase back in the 90's.

[arcane1]

60. People graduate high school all by themselves too n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

56. I just watched the post of this suicide that was locked by a jury

And your reaction, and that of many folks here, is cultural.

Two points.

1.- IN the US we have far more graphic things on the teevee machine that are scripted. I guess knowing the actor will stand up and go home makes it ok.

2.- This is actual standard fare in countries (yes in the evening news) that have less access to guns. Usually they are preceded by a warning... but that is all.

I have asked to myself many a times if we really like to live in a fantasy world, where things like this are hidden from people by both media and willful ignorance.

Yes, it is a disturbing piece of tape... it should be... but read point number one... so should our graphic portrayal of violence that passes for family entertainment.

Shep Smith violated an unwritten code of not showing this crap to viewers, that is all.

[w8liftinglady]

61. Nadin...I have to agree with you on this

We sanitized the war so much that no one knew what was actually happening there.
Same with Hurricaine Katrina.
I DO remember the news from the 60's.
It was graphic.
It was real.
It hit home.

[nadinbrzezinski]

64. And it was international too

[renie408]

69. I disagree with you.

I don't care what they show in other countries. They do all kinds of things in other countries that I don't want done here. Scripted violence is just that..scripted.

Showing a real human being in their most horrific, distressed moment is not news. It is NOT my business. Who knows why the guy was running, who he was, what his circumstances were. I am sure we will all know what his frigging shoe size was within 24 hours, though.

If you cannot tell the difference between real people and fake people, I think that is a problem. For you.

[nadinbrzezinski]

75. You can disagree all you want (GRAPHIC)

but this used to be in the MEDIA here... regularly.



As in your evening news.



This too.



People here were horrified when photos like this ran... mostly in foreign papers. That is Katrina dear



This one, mostly DID NOT run in US Papers, again Katrina my dear.

We need to stop pretending. These things happen, and yes, we need to go back to an era when this was shown, in the evening news, with the proper warning.

We really are living in a fantasy.

[renie408]

84. So everyone's death is everybody's business.

Good to know.

Do you think there is a difference between the two examples you gave and some random guy hopping out of his car on the side of the road and shooting himself in the head? WHY was this thing today NEWS? What business is it of mine? For that matter, why are car chases 'news'?

This has nothing to do with my ability to deal with reality. This has to do with the difference between news and sensationalism that seems to completely have completely eluded YOU.

I have dealt with death in person in my own life and, I am sure, will again. To assume that my disgust and outrage is due to my inability to 'handle' the truth is condescending and obnoxious.

[nadinbrzezinski]

86. Yuo posted that, which we want news sanitized

they have been, and it is not doing anybody any favors.

The two katrina photos, did not, mostly, run on US Papers... why is that?

Yes, American media is trying to protect you.

The falling man, we have no clue who he was, and RIP, that photo on 911 media was criticized for running it.

Yet, you know how many scripts have had that in it?

And yes, it is time we go back to more accurate reporting... even the if it bleeds it leads, mostly don't bleed... so people see it as some form of nightly entertainment.

[renie408]

91. You did not answer MY questions.

It would appear that you are not talking to me. I am not sure who you are talking to. I never said I wanted the news 'sanitized'. I said this wasn't news, wasn't anybodies business other than those directly involved. What if that were someone close to YOU? Why should that video now apparently be all over Youtube? What national significance does it have? What is the NEWS value? That it happened?

Really? THAT'S your criteria for news? It happened?

[nadinbrzezinski]

103. Actually car chases are releveant

and we tweet them regularly... to help people STAY AWAY FROM THEM.

Car chases are among the most dangerous of police actions, and can and do end badly often.

So it is a duty of a news organization to WARN people when one is happening in your area.

You may not have ended in the middle of one, but you really do not want to. For the record, we almost did the other day... and we try to avoid them.

By the way, I am a journalist, I do this shit for real, and the paper I work for has a twitter feed (where we warn people of fires, chases shootings, oh my, and update them during wild fires and other emergencies when in the field.)

Hey, I did not get to cover that one, and there was no twitter back then, but locally we even had one involving a tank... yup. I am dead serious, and it ended up in the death of the tank driver. It WAS major news.

I was at my sister's well before doing this, and we were watching the tv, when they broke into breaking nooz, the chase involved a city bus. I stayed with her until it was over. As a former medic, I know just how bad they can end. I do not want to be in the middle of one.

So no, I do not fault them for covering a chase. The question, which is what is relevant here, is whether a local chase is worthy of national news. When the tank was involved, I suppose, after all that M-60 was stolen from the local armory.

I guess it is a slow nooz day in the studio... like when we all ended up at a snoozer of a hazmat incident in Lakeside. We, ok, it is MY BEAT... the rest of the nooz crews... slow nooz day.

Here is another one where we all felt pretty much snookered, local dems (all 15 of them) welcoming Romney at the highway exit... nope that wasn't nooz either, but multiple nooz editors had us all in the field covering that.

So to answer your question, yes, they are relevant, and if I happen to get nooz of one right now, over the scanner, guess what I will be doing?

[zappaman]

104. No they are not relevant

Even if you weren't a "journalist", you should know that.

[renie408]

112. Once again, I cannot tell who you are talking to.

But hey, I have to give you this, you are no quitter.

Dontcha think it would be more to the point to put out a bulletin on the local radio news since the people who need to know about this stuff would be in their CARS at the time a chase was happening of that was the concern?

And I don't think 'journalists' cover car chases. Matt Taibbi is a journalist. I may just be a lowly horse trainer, but even I can see the difference there.

[nadinbrzezinski]

119. Acttually yes journalists do cover them

You have possibly never heard of the police blotter... it it real

Hell, I also cover local labor... and as I said, fires, and election returns.

And yes, locally my radio stations, KOGO 600 AM and NPR in the FM band, do break into programing if the chase is bad enough, aka like involving a tank...

Here

I was so glad they did... I was going in that direction when it broke, instead went home.

I was not the only one.

[zappaman]

122. Sorry, but working for free at the online version of The Pennysaver

hardly qualifies as journalism.
http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/

Especially when stories are erroneously based on a Facebook posting...
http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/8423

[renie408]

145. Ohh...SNAP

[randome]

131. Not everyone listens to the radio any more. In fact, it's somewhat passe.

But I might notice something when passing the TV in the break room.

[Brickbat]

99. Wars and disasters are national news.

A guy running from the cops and then shooting himself in the head is not.

[zappaman]

79. +1 n/t

[BooScout]

117. What countries?

I'm in the UK and have access to news channels across Europe, India, Russia and the States........and I HAVE NEVER seen what I saw a little while ago done in any country...on any news program before.

In fairness to Shep Smith.....it was his producer's fault for not shutting off the feed.

[nadinbrzezinski]

120. I have seen footage like that

emanating from Brazil, Mexico, Spain, and a few others.

And yes, his producer goofed

[BooScout]

124. Live footage?

Or taped? At least with taped footage, the viewer can be warned.

[nadinbrzezinski]

128. Life a few times,

most of the time, taped with warning. I mean, Mexico has a 24\7 environment now, for mexico city, but not the whole country... and brazil and spain also do not have 24\7 channels

[gollygee]

62. Wow this thread really pulls the trolls

But yeah, that's what delay is supposed to be for. Or stop covering car chases all the time.

[LynneSin]

68. I have 2 words - Budd Dwyer

If it happens live it's not like Fox knew ahead of time it was going to happen.

This happened back in the mid 80s when Budd Dwyer, former PA State Treasurer, was about to be sentenced for some fraud he had committed. A few days before that happened Dwyer hosted a press conference that some of the local news filmed live and at the end of the speech Dwyer pulled out a gun and shot himself. I remember watching it on TV.

No one had a clue it was going to happen but you can't blame the people who film it live. It's not like Dwyer said at the onset of his speech that at the end of it he was going to kill himself.

[randome]

71. Jack Ruby. Wasn't that live, too?

[revolution breeze]

74. Good points with both of these examples.

My mother was a sophomore in high school when she watched Jack Ruby shoot Lee Harvey Oswald on live television.

[renie408]

77. I think there is a difference between

war and Lee Harvey Oswald and some random guy who hops out of a car on the side of the road and shoots himself in the head.

What is the NEWS value of the last thing? Why do WE have the right to watch that?

[randome]

89. I feel...funny defending Fox News.

They had it on delay and personnel can be heard shouting to pull the plug and someone or something failed to do that.

There IS no news value in this and that's why they tried to pull the plug.

[renie408]

97. This isn't about FOX. They all do it.

And as long as WE accept it, they will keep doing it. This is about what news is and what news isn't. This is about some poor guy who was scared and freaked out and pulled a gun out and shot himself in the head on national television. It wasn't a video game and he was somebody's family. And now it is out there. Unless we start saying, "HEY! Some things are OFF LIMITS!" we really will wind up with snuff TV.

So, just shrugging and blowing it off isn't going to get that done. We SHOULD be outraged at what passes for news and what gets on TV. They show FOX News in my bank. What about somebody in there with a child?

And now this guy's family gets to live with his death all over Youtube. Great.

[randome]

129. A car chase is not news? Because that's all they thought they had at first.

[Drunken Irishman]

96. Bad example...

A typical press conference shouldn't raise suspicions and yes, sometimes, things are out of the media's control. However, how many times have car chases ended extremely badly - either with a shootout or a person killing themselves? Any time the media runs with a car chase, there is a very high possibility something awful is going to be shown. It's why, generally, they have a delay ... but for whatever reason, that delay wasn't there this go around.

The comparison isn't fair because we should always suspect the worst from a car chase. FOX shouldn't be broadcasting this shit. It's not news ... it's entertainment.

[renie408]

98. It's sensationalism.

And, no, it isn't news.

[LynneSin]

105. Didn't realize ther was a statistic for people committing suicide after a car wreck

Still not blaming Fox.

WE have no clue what will happen at the end of a car wreck outside of some dead and damaged people from the wreck - which shouldn't be shown.

[Drunken Irishman]

118. Don't blame FOX. I really don't care.

I think it's clear they were in the wrong here. For starters, the incident you cite was a big reason why they decided to go with the 10 second delay ... so they could avoid problems like this. The fact that didn't happen this go around just shows how incompetent FOX can be. There is no reason they couldn't have stopped this from broadcasting. They've got censors set up for a reason, delays set up for a reason, and it failed here.

Beyond that, though, I still fail to see why they were broadcasting this in the first place? Is it really news and knowing the chances this could end badly - a nasty car accident, a shootout, a suicide, maybe a hostage situation...anything, really, why go ahead with the broadcast?

You don't have to see anything wrong with it. I do. I find it tactless and furthers my point that the media today is more interested in sensationalism than reporting hard news.

FOX should be criticized for this. Any network that would allow this to get through should be ... even if it was an accident. The fact is, this all could've been avoided had they not broadcast the car chases.

[Union Scribe]

127. Great post. nt

[JI7]

72. i don't know why but your Post Comes off as kind of Selfish to Me

[RedStateLiberal]

88. I'm relating a personal experience I just had

where I watched a live suicide minutes before posting. What do you expect? Objective journalism on a message board? Give me a break.

[sakabatou]

82. Disgusting

[DrDan]

85. I watched it - stunned

but Shep was taken aback that, supposedly, their 5-second delay did not work.

At least that was a part of the apology.

[JI7]

93. the suicide happened and the guy is dead whether you saw it or not

[renie408]

100. And now it is all over Youtube.

For his family and friends to see it. How convenient for them.

Why was this news in the first place?

[JI7]

106. i don't think they should show live car chases

there will always be a chance of a horrible outcome. and it's not really a live news worthy story other than as some cheap way to get ratings through exploitation.

[renie408]

114. That's been my point through this whole thread.

This wasn't news.

[sylvi]

94. According to Smith it was on a five second delay

At least that was his claim in his apology. In fact you can hear him saying, "Cut away" several times. For some reason the technician or whoever was running the film did not do so.

[Brickbat]

102. Looking at the film, it was like *he* was on a five-second delay. A producer in the background yells

"NO" right when the guy puts the gun to his head. Smith doesn't react until later.

[BooScout]

121. You're wrong...

I unfortunately watched it live. Shep was yelling "Get it off! Get it off!" I think someone screwed up but I'd blame the producer on this one. It would be a producer's responsibility to shut the feed down, not the anchor's.

[Initech]

101. The FCC should fine the shit out of them for this but I'm sure it's not the first time.

[Great Caesars Ghost]

110. Unfortunately, FCC has no jurisdiction when it come to cable channels.

[nadinbrzezinski]

113. That a news channel transmits somebody'd death

no, won't be the last either.

Oh and did I forget to mention this is cable?

[zappaman]

116. What does cable have to do with it?

Nothing.

[onenote]

142. You're right and you're wrong.

Even if it was broadcast it wouldn't be against any law and would be protected by the First Amendment. The fact that it was cable is often relevant when it comes to content -- such as "indecency" or "profanity" (specifically defined to encompass sexual content) -- since the courts have held that subscription services are more like newspapers and entitled to broader first amendment protection than broadcast (and because the Communications Act applies content restrictions to "radio" communications -- a term that covers broadcast, not cable).

30 years plus of communications law experience speaking here.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

125. You're right, it's not the first time someone got shot on TV

[onenote]

141. Under what law or rule would the FCC do that?

There is no rule or law that addresses the depiction of violence, live or 'made up' on television. And the presentation of a live news event -- protected by the First Amendment.

Sorry, but its not even a close call.

[Duer 157099]

115. I hope every business that is stupid enough to run Fox News on the TVs in their establishments

get plenty of backlash from any customers with kids who might have witnessed this.

[ksoze]

123. The guy was an armed carjacker who was shooting at police

Doesn't make his death any less sad, but the emotional outpouring here for him should be maybe be transferred to our dying and wounded soldiers, the cops being killed by criminals like him or the person who he ripped out of his car at gunpoint.

[Mariana]

143. I don't see emotional outpouring for the guy.

I see disgust at Fox News for broadcasting a suicide. It's not the same thing.

[FarCenter]

126. Showing actual suicides and homicides is OK -- showing fictional ones should be forbidden

[AnOhioan]

132. OK...just read thru the thread

#1 Fox goofed up.

#2 There is no point about invoking the FCC..the FCC has no jurisdiction.

#3 Car chases are news...barely..they are also sensationalism....something that all news programs employ to one degree or another.

#4 TV/Cable News stopped being news awhile ago...it is now entertainment.

[randome]

135. And that's a wrap!

[Victor_c3]

137. Thanks for the summary

Now I know not to bother replying to the thread.

Oh wait, I just did. I should probably delete that first sentence, but if I did then this sentence would make any sense

[Pacafishmate]

134. Don't see the problem here.

People are way too sensitive these days.

[RedStateLiberal]

140. I think this comment says a lot more about you...

than it does about me.

[mstinamotorcity2]

136. I know you are not surprised???

Look at owner. Rupert Murdock. His Paper over in Great Britain hacked a dead child's cell phone and had the parents thinking the child was alive. When they were really checking her messages. Rodger Ailes is extremely heartless. They have faked the news on so many levels that when real news comes along they "Just Can't Handle The Truth" lol

[Rosco T.]

139. OK, I just saw this on YouTube...

.. and they DID insert a delay when the guy got out of the car . All you saw was him put the gun to his head and fall down. No bang, no spew and Shep was almost screaming "GET OFF OF IT!" A longer delay and they would have not even shown that... but I will give them credit for trying, and major credit to Shep for apologizing for it.

Then again if it had been O'Really or the Hammity, they would have let it run and found a way to blame Obama for it.