Shame On The Media!!

[Omaha Steve]

There have been many occasions during my 30 year television career when I've been proud to be a member of the broadcasting community. Today is not one of those days.

When Georgian Olympic luger Nodar Kumaritashvili was killed in a horrific training accident, gruesome replays of the crash were broadcast worldwide by media outlets, exposing the family and friends of the fallen Olympian to images of the fatal crash over, and over, and over again.

Later, in an apparent effort at damage control, the IOC invoked its copyrights on the crash video and removed it from YouTube and several other Internet sites.News agencies continue to play the horrific footage in their newscasts. On the "CBS Evening News," the video was shown three times —the last in slow motion. The "ABC World News Tonight" website continues to post the crash video. The "New York Daily News" website shows a still image of the fatal impact. The "NBC Vancouver 2010 Olympics official website" continues to offer a gruesome slide show of Nodar's death.

There is a distinction between the media's right and obligation to report the news and their need to obtain ratings to increase revenue and profits. When the news divisions at media companies went from public interest entities to profit centers, all efforts at propriety and compassion were pushed aside.

"If it bleeds it leads" became the the operating policy. Bill Paley must be spinning in his grave.

My heart goes out, not only to the family, friends, and teammates of this fallen Olympian, but to everyone whose personal tragedy will become a public spectacle to further the greed of our employers.

Bob Daraio
Broadcast Union News
http://broadcastunionnews.blogspot.com/

[upi402]

1. I refuse to link to it and have not seen it

I resent the media anymore, most of it. I feel they are traitorous in their failure to uphold the obligations of the 4th Estate. No industry is protected like theirs, and they repay it by betraying democracy and propagandizing the people they must serve. So I'm not a fan of these ghoulish practices from the gate.

[monmouth]

2. I thought the Prez of NBC news told NBC to stop showing it....n/t