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I was eating breakfast today while watching NECN’s morning show and all of the sudden the Marathon bombings were happening again in my living room in full surround sound. Quite a way to start the day.
After 9/11, television news outlets quickly developed unofficial guidelines to avoid showing anything overly traumatic outside of the anniversary of the attacks. To this day, the planes, burning towers, and collapses (when shown at all) are shown in still images to minimize revisiting the post-traumatic stress on viewers.
Is it time for television news outlets to put the bombing footage on the shelf except for the anniversary of the attack? What’s the purpose of replaying the horrific attack we’ve all seen over and over again? Do the replays inform us of anything at this point?
I can’t speak for what other television stations are doing (I watch local television news as little as possible exactly because most of it – either by design or by effect – makes you scared to walk out the door). But if they’re not already, it’s a discussion news directors should be having with their staff.
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Today’s Globe had yet another front page filled with more sentimental junk, and two full pages inside the A-section with minimal new information. Does anybody really care about speculations about the “potential psychological explanations behind the plot”? Is there anything besides tired anti-Muslim pandering behind the “questions” of “key lawmakers” about the “possibility” that they received “outside encouragement or training”? Does anybody care whether the suspect’s father is or is not coming to the US?
Similarly, the opinion section has one editorial and two columns, as well as half the letters dedicated to the episode — I suppose I’m just heartless, but I think this whole story is being blown far out of proportion. I think we’re just seeing more media sensationalism, driven by a desire to pander to fear and hysteria rather than anything constructive or newsworthy.
I fear we are wallowing in sentimental “BostonStrong” pap, rather than facing the real issues at play.
This is a huge story and it’s only been a little over a week. Moreover, the fog of battle, fear and relief is just lifting. So, now really is the time when a we could get away from the “pap”, as you say, and have a sober analysis and recounting of what happened. I agree that the evidence-free spoutings of yahoo congresspeople are not deserving of the front page, but the lengthy and very detailed account of these events from the Sunday paper is a must-read and good reporting- especially after the various stories had changed over the week. It was a great example of why we do still need newspapers.
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For example, I’m all in favor of looking at … uh … something.
What were the real issues again? I forgot.
How about…
– Real issues of public safety
– National issues (such as the nomination of the new Transportation Secretary)
– Actual news stories with actual content. Today’s story about DNA on the bomb fragments has more substance than badly written pop psychology.
My parents, hardly the typical leftist demo, are just really sick and in the immortal Boston cadence of my ma ‘f-in tired’ of seeing ‘those bastids’ on tv.
And considering local media in Chicago is still plastering their stories with this (better to have a homicide in a different city for a change), I can’t imagine how bad the locals are in Boston. Randy Price and Liz Walker had some integrity, I doubt the current crop does.
I turned on the noon news today and they were already reporting the “breaking news” that three more suspects from the New Bedford area were taken into custody in connection with the Marathon bombing. They are doing the whole live shot thing and relying mostly on “sources” and there seems to be alot of speculation and punditry and precious little hard news. Moakley Courthouse looks good in the daylight, but there’s nothing else to report. In fact when I walked in the room the words on the TV screen said BREAKING NEWS: Police say there is no threat to the public. This is the regular news hour so nothing wrong with reporting the developments as one story among many today, but I see no reason to go wall to wall with coverage.
More kids from my high school…