Comments on: Is media playing the role of killer’s pawn? http://www.idwid.com/blog/archives/22 Jammer's random blog that simply do what it do. Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:51:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: Hotshot309 http://www.idwid.com/blog/archives/22#comment-25 Hotshot309 Fri, 20 Apr 2007 04:39:39 +0000 http://www.idwid.com/blog/archives/22#comment-25 I haven't seen more than a sentence or two of what this guy had to say between shootings, but that's fine by me. I was disgusted when my local NBC station said, "The gunman from the Virginia Tech gives a video ONLY TO NBC..." in an ad for the later news of the evening. Oooh, exclusive? NBC is the best station, and that's why this nutjob sent them the video? Lemme watch, lemme watch! Come on, people. Stop analyzing, and stop making it about race (which some people are, but I don't see why--a disturbed individual who needs help is just that regardless of race or nation of origin). Most of all, don't perpetuate this guy's fame and repeat over and over why he wanted to do it. Sure, we have a right to hear the words, but the least desirable thing right now would be to send the wrong message to some pre-pubescent, depressed suburban kids who might be looking for some way to "make a statement" and get their fifteen minutes of fame in a few years down the road. After all, they will be famous (even if only posthumously). I haven’t seen more than a sentence or two of what this guy had to say between shootings, but that’s fine by me. I was disgusted when my local NBC station said, “The gunman from the Virginia Tech gives a video ONLY TO NBC…” in an ad for the later news of the evening. Oooh, exclusive? NBC is the best station, and that’s why this nutjob sent them the video? Lemme watch, lemme watch!

Come on, people. Stop analyzing, and stop making it about race (which some people are, but I don’t see why–a disturbed individual who needs help is just that regardless of race or nation of origin). Most of all, don’t perpetuate this guy’s fame and repeat over and over why he wanted to do it. Sure, we have a right to hear the words, but the least desirable thing right now would be to send the wrong message to some pre-pubescent, depressed suburban kids who might be looking for some way to “make a statement” and get their fifteen minutes of fame in a few years down the road. After all, they will be famous (even if only posthumously).

]]> By: Mike Verzechuan http://www.idwid.com/blog/archives/22#comment-27 Mike Verzechuan Fri, 20 Apr 2007 07:17:54 +0000 http://www.idwid.com/blog/archives/22#comment-27 I think NBCs decision to publish his "manifesto" was reasonable. I'm a bit disgusted by the way they went about doing it. As the previous response eludes to - what should have been a somber decision on the part of journalists to make the information public instead reaked of an attempt to generate as much attention and viewership (read: money) for NBC news as possible. I think NBCs decision to publish his “manifesto” was reasonable. I’m a bit disgusted by the way they went about doing it. As the previous response eludes to - what should have been a somber decision on the part of journalists to make the information public instead reaked of an attempt to generate as much attention and viewership (read: money) for NBC news as possible.

]]> By: Eric G. http://www.idwid.com/blog/archives/22#comment-28 Eric G. Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:54:32 +0000 http://www.idwid.com/blog/archives/22#comment-28 I agree - the additional coverage of the shooter's video and photographs are gratuitous at best. I don't think that airing his video or displaying his picture served any purpose beyond what we already knew about the shooter and incident. Perhaps this additional information could have been used down the road by folks seeking to better understand an incident like this, but as you mentioned, it insults the families of the victims, and it likely empowers those with similar disturbed tendencies. Personally, I can't think of a reason to watch the video other than to satisfy my own morbid curiousity. I agree - the additional coverage of the shooter’s video and photographs are gratuitous at best. I don’t think that airing his video or displaying his picture served any purpose beyond what we already knew about the shooter and incident. Perhaps this additional information could have been used down the road by folks seeking to better understand an incident like this, but as you mentioned, it insults the families of the victims, and it likely empowers those with similar disturbed tendencies.

Personally, I can’t think of a reason to watch the video other than to satisfy my own morbid curiousity.

]]> By: Stef http://www.idwid.com/blog/archives/22#comment-116 Stef Fri, 25 May 2007 08:05:04 +0000 http://www.idwid.com/blog/archives/22#comment-116 We can blame the media all we want for publishing the 'manifesto', but no one was forced to watch it. I haven't seen it, and I haven't seen the infamous Saddam hanging either. They just don't interest me. People will happliy blast the media, and yet sit there in front of the TV watching it, shaking their heads "This is wrong, they shouldn't be showing it." Not being from the US, I don't know how NBC publicised it, but from the comments it does indeed sound like they played it for every possible ratings pull they could get. But again, no one forced people to watch it. The only way to get ratings is for people to watch. I'm sure if I really wanted to, I could download the Saddam vid, and this NBC 'story', but that would mean pausing all my pr0n downloads, and that just ain't gonna happen. ;) We can blame the media all we want for publishing the ‘manifesto’, but no one was forced to watch it. I haven’t seen it, and I haven’t seen the infamous Saddam hanging either. They just don’t interest me.

People will happliy blast the media, and yet sit there in front of the TV watching it, shaking their heads “This is wrong, they shouldn’t be showing it.”

Not being from the US, I don’t know how NBC publicised it, but from the comments it does indeed sound like they played it for every possible ratings pull they could get. But again, no one forced people to watch it. The only way to get ratings is for people to watch.

I’m sure if I really wanted to, I could download the Saddam vid, and this NBC ’story’, but that would mean pausing all my pr0n downloads, and that just ain’t gonna happen. ;)

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