NPR China Earthquake Coverage: Anyone Listening?

[iamjoy]

Has anyone been listening to the coverage of the earthquake in China on NPR?

I heard the report from Robert Siegel Monday afternoon. Apparently, he and Melissa Block were already there to do another report. As he went around reporting the damage to me he sounded shaken, but at the time I thought he could have just been a little freaked at having been through a massive quake.

Then today, I listened to this absolutely heart wrenching story by Melissa Block. Am I projecting or does she should like she's ready to cry at some points?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90447603

If indeed these reporters are emotionally involved, should we question their lack of journalistic detachment or be relieved that they haven't forgotten to be human.

:cry:

[malaise]

1. I've been following on CCTV

They have a good web site. Had to take a break - watching makes me weep.

[stevedeshazer]

2. I heard it. Very compelling radio.

This Chinese earthquake disaster, and the Myanmar cyclone disaster, are only harbingers of more disasters to come.

So, who gets kicked off American Idol tonight?

That's whut Amerika wants ta know.

Sad.

Thanks for the post.

[Elspeth]

3. I don't remember NPR crying over NOLA

:/

[uppityperson]

7. I remember some Katrina media coverage with crying/pleading msm reporters.

Can't remember who it was, but there was someone, at the Convention Center. Not enough, true, but there was some msm male reporter showing, talking, pleading, as mrbush came on and said everything is under control.

[Elspeth]

9. From CNN: Suzanne Malveaux. But NPR shed no tears for NOLA

They can kiss my ass right now.

[iamjoy]

10. Well, There's A Difference

I mean, the death toll from this may very well be 10 times what it was from Katrina. And I think there is already a tendency in Americans to give more value to an American life than that of a foreigner.

Also, I could hear a difference in her voice from the "on location" segments and the summary/report segments. She sounded very collected and professional in the latter.

I don't remember whether or not they cried over NOLA after Katrina, so I'll take your word for it. But if most of the reporting was summary (not covering the story as it unfolded) that could be why.

[Elspeth]

11. Katrina happened in our own backyard, and the 1,000 death toll is low

We were watching dead bodies in the water on television. In an American city.

I feel for the Chinese, having lived through some So Cal earthquakes that were damned scary. It's horrible when these disasters happen.

But I have no sympathy for NPR.

[SharonAnn]

12. I think it was Anderson Cooper.

[uppityperson]

15. Thank you. That was him. eom

[bananas]

14. Anderson Cooper

http://www.google.com/search?q=Katrina+%22Anderson+Cooper%22

Invisible Lives: Anderson Cooper's Katrina Coverage
CNN reporter Anderson Cooper discusses his coverage of Hurricane Katrina and how it affected him personally.
www.oprah.com/tows/slide/200510/20051012/slide_20051012_284_105.jhtml - 15k - Cached - Similar pages

Anderson Cooper's Hurricane Katrina Coverage - A Breakthrough for ...
Anderson Cooper’s on-air breakdown was an honest expression of his complicated personality—and a breakthrough for the future of television news.
nymag.com/nymetro/news/features/14301/ - 52k - Cached - Similar pages

CNN.com - Transcripts
This is a special edition of ANDERSON COOPER 360, "Hurricane Katrina: State of Emergency." (END VIDEO CLIP) COOPER: Good evening. Welcome to this special ...
transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0509/01/acd.01.html - 70k - Cached - Similar pages

<snip>

[uppityperson]

16. Thank you. He did a very good job.What he did, contrasted w/bush, changed a lot of people

It is 1 thing to just tell lies, but when you are watching on tv, and then you hear bush tell lies, it changed minds about how trustworthy he was.

[BOHICA06]

8. They did .... good reporting then too.

[Up2Late]

4. I heard it earlier today, the report of the mother bringing the heavy equipment to...

...the pile of rubble that was here home stopped me dead in my tracks.

[malta blue]

5. I heard it on my way home tonight and was crying myself

by the time I got home.

:cry:

[housewolf]

6. City of 1 million evacuated & living in tents

This is from an on-site BBC report I heard yesterday on local public radio station. The entire city, every building damaged. On-going tremors.

[riderinthestorm]

13. I heard it while I was driving home. Very powerful. Very wrenching.

Clearly the reporters are deeply moved and their reporting reflects that. I don't remember NPR's NOLA coverage so can't comment on that.

I do remember there was a teevee reporter who was as deeply traumatized as these NPR reporters appear to be, and he was very impassioned in his reporting as well but can't remember who that was....