Hang in there, Jennasis. Most of us DO appreciate your efforts! Thank you for being there and here.
That’s funny … I was about to say, if it wasn’t for the media overload, I would never have seen that touching display of unity at Buckingham’s changing of the guards. And for moments like that, I am truly grateful for the kind of broad coverage and new technology that our journalists provide.
I couldn’t agree more with Jennasis…this is HISTORY!!! It is horrible, and it’s history. Nothing like this has ever happened in out lifetimes…we need to stay informed. This is not a time to hide your head in the sand. Come on!
It’s the media blitz of the same information over and over again that was bothering me. Of course, we need to record this event for future generations. I don’t think anyone is arguing THAT point. However, to see the constant rerunning of the planes hitting the towers was too sickening for some of us. I opted for the radio where I could actually learn more about Bin Laden, the Islamic religion, Middle Eastern tensions, and more. A body count and repeated gruesome images does not enlighten; it just creates a mentality of hatred. This is just my opinion, but I think that we need to better understand the Middle East in order to deal effectively and humanely. I find that I’m learning much more by listening to radio programs and reading the paper than I am by watching TV. This is just my own personal choice since I’ve never been the type of person to stop and gawk at a car wreck (or any other tragic accident).
One man whose wife’s message on their answering machine in her final minutes gave the tape to news media - he said that by them playing it over and over it makes her real, not just a number amidst the huge numbers who died. Every one of us has a point at which we can’t watch/listen any more. Then you have the freedom to do something else. Those who want/need more information have the freedom to do so. That’s what makes this country what it is.
I’m not going to lock this thread… there’s no reason to.
I think, as in other areas of life, the BB will eventually start to drift back to normal. But I’m not going to make an arbitrary designation of when that will happen. I think it’ll happen on its own.
While I don’t always agree with the media coverage of events - I value the fact that what I see is not censured by the people who don’t want to see it and therefore think that I shouldn’t see it.
That TV has an OFF switch - I use it a lot.
BarbB
Anything but that Heidi! 
Velvet, what the hell channel are you watching? I have seen constant coverage about the rescue efforts, innumerable stories about families searching for their loved ones, and numerous mentions of the support from overseas that was mentioned in the CNN article you posted.
Yeah, they’re still showing the crash footage. They’re still talking about people’s escapes from the towers. And three days after the fact, that footage and those stories are still incredibly powerful.
I’m honestly sitting here shaking my head, without a clue what you’re complaining about. All I can say is that I sure as hell don’t want to be subjected to the sanitized and artificially cheerful “news” that you seem to want. Just give me the real news, and I’ll sort through it on my own.
A DQ never admits that she receives fashion tips from anyone else.
>>>"Lack of formal education does not necessarily mean lack of intelligence or inability to process emotional or other information. (I’m stopping here.)
I’ll apologize for my comment about people with 7th grade educations because I KNOW some of them, and yes, they are intelligent and thoughtful people. It was a very gross exaggeration. Nonetheless, there is a segment of the population that will just mentally tune-out because it doesn’t affect them (or so they think) since they are miles away from the devastation.
>>>As far as “clout” goes, everyone gets to vote.
We all get to vote, but as far as clout, none of us really have any right now. The politicians will make the decisions, and we will have to live with those decisions. I’m hoping that no nuclear weapons are part of the “solution.”
>>>As far as knowledge of Middle Eastern life and politics, many well-educated posters here are far less well-informed than they might be (including myself), and are happy to opine nonetheless.
I openly admitted that I don’t know nearly enough about the Mid-East. That’s also why I said I’d really like some broadcasts that can teach ignorami like me about Mid-East history as well as current events in that region. Anyway, it doesn’t matter what topic you choose - a lot of uninformed people will choose to opine. That’s freedom of speech at work.
Well, let’s see… I saw a lengthy segment about the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, who lost 700 employees. Every one of the employees who was in the building at the time was unaccounted for.
I saw a segment on several different fire houses that had lost members. One of many times I “lost it” was listening to firefighter with a thick NY accent break down as he tried to describe what kind of person his lost fire chief was.
I saw interviews with flight instructors who supposedly taught the terrorists. One was completely mortified that his instruction had contributed to this horrible event. He said he felt “raped.”
I saw a segment about the spontaneous memorials that have sprung up all over the world… heaps of flowers at embassies, that sort of thing.
And I saw an endless parade of interviews with people who were looking for lost loved ones, holding up posters, etc. Several people allowed news crews to accompany them throughout the day in their search, so these were not just 2-minute man-on-the-street interviews.
Yes, they’re still showing the crash footage, and yes, as the Kurtz column mentions, it may be a bit much to show it as a segue to every new segment. But for God’s sake, the buildings imploded. What better image is there so soon after the incident, when we are all still feeling utter shock at what happened?
I will say that I was just watching some more coverage over lunch, and NBC’s tone, at least, has become much less hard-news and much more reverent. Instead of titling the coverage “America Under Attack” or whatever, it’s “America Mourns,” and there’s somber classical music playing. They did a montage of photos of the missing with a black-and-white photo of the still-standing but burned-out towers in the background.
It seems like today is a turning point for the coverage, so maybe you’ll have less to complain about now, Velvet.
But as far as the actual stories being aired for the last few days – they were exactly what you claim you want to see, even if the crash footage was still being shown in between.
As I posted earlier, I’m not always proud of the profession I’ve spent 30 years in. But today I’m extraordinarily proud of it. The compassion, bravery and determination of the print and broadcast media to bring this story and all its ramifications to the world have been extraordinary.
Well, Velvet, this is what happens when you allow freedom of the press. There are plenty of other news sources, you don’t have to watch tv.
Sign me up for the Beezer fan club! Do we get free posters? Anyway, Beezer I wish I could express myself as well as you do. But I guess that’s why you’re the journalist and my copywrighter colleagues cringe when they see me coming with edits!
I’m kind of torn on this. On the one hand, I get a bit tired of hearing the same things over and over again. On the other hand, I keep checking new sites during the day and obsessively listening to the radio to find out if there have been any new developments.
Honestly, I don’t know what the major networks would show now. I know that coverage isn’t on many cable channels and occassionally I’ll flip through the dial to see what else is on. But it all seems so darn trivial that I just can’t watch it. As someone working in the advertising/marketing field, I know I wouldn’t want my ads to run at this time anyway (it’s more than a bit tacky), so they may be postponing “paid for” shows until it seems more appropriate.
I do agree that broadcasting every bomb threat of dubious credibility is ridiculous. But so many rumours are flying around, I wonder if the news organizations can separate fact from fiction right now.
At least you live in a country where you have the right not to listen and not to pay attention to TV. Fortunately, the last generation saved you from being disciplined by Big Brother they died and they crawled through mud to give us our world today.
Your TV has an off and on switch and there is no monitor saying you are a bad girl because you don’t want to see the ugly facts of life and death.
But for me as an American the missing and dead 5300 are like my own children, and I care what happens to them. They are America’s children and America cares that they were murdered. And as their Mom I want to know the whole story and not just the nicely tailored little film clips that make it look like it wasn’t so bad. Mothers want to know how their children spent their last minutes if they are going to die without them.
Because this is a free country you can put some lovely happy movie in your VCR or play some gentle classical music and I won’t condemn you for being shallow or hard hearted.
While I am sure that you have friends, and that some might share your distain for the visual news, in a democracy your opinion is not the only one that counts. I think the reporters struggled to not be vulgar in their presentation but they did a huge service to this country. They brought us the facts before the spin doctors could change them.
Did you notice there were no commercials, that these stations at their own expense produced for us complete coverage? They didn’t whine because they lost their antenna, and did their best to stay out of the way. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss the reunion of the couple who were reunited after two days of thinking each other was already dead, they now can have their golden anniversary.
This week of “time out” taught us all a great deal about why we need to be a family. I think the benefits for this America will be so great to re-invigorate our patriotism that it may be the only good reason for so many to have died.
You may choose to be cynical and see our flaws more than our good character, and that makes me sad for you. I think this was a revolutionary week because it proved how good most people really are to each other.
So Velvet, thank God! that you live in a country where we all can make our own choices. Scandal journalism doesn’t appeal to me so I just don’t buy it or read it. And, it is wonderful that I have that choice. There are people who do enjoy it! That’s their choice. I think all the ball games where people bat little white balls or use rackets or clubs are virtually worthless in the big scheme of life. But, that doesn’t mean that I should demean those who love the sports or those who play the sports. Yes! some of the salaries are obscene to me, and even more so when you compare them to firefighters, policemen and God Bless the First Aid Squads.
Maybe what they should be doing is moving towards more of that sort of coverage, and away from those constant replays of the towers and the Pentagon?
Once again, I applaud you Beezer! I could only wish for a small, very small percentage of your writing talent.
I too am very appreciative for that one CNN correspondent based in Afghanistan. Nic Robertson (is that correct?) is a hero as far as I’m concerned. He could do his job from anywhere in the world, and yet he choses possibly one of the most dangerous assignments on the face of this earth.
Information is power - information is powerful.
you’ve grown weary of it doesn’t mean it’s not big news to everyone else, Velvet. How would you feel if you had a missing family member in Manhattan and lived in, say, California?
You need to accept responsibility for yourself. Walk away from the TV when you get overloaded. I watched intently on Tuesday, and didn’t watch much coverage again until last night.
Robby
