If only the M$M would heed this forensic psychiatrist's advice and stop sensationalizing shootings

[Roland99]

Charlie Brooker's Newswipe 25/03/09

A psychiatrists (and Charlie Brooker's) insightful perspective on news coverage's perpetuation of mass shootings in schools.
The full version of this wondrous and though provoking programme is currently available in the UK via BBC iPlayer:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00jf3hx/Newswipe_Episode_1/

[msongs]

1. 300 kids murdered by gun owner in school today. and now, the weather forecast.... ok nt

[NCTraveler]

2. It is news. It is major news. It should be reported as such.

Discussion should arise from the news. For an extended period of time.

[Roland99]

3. guess you didn't see the video? No way you could have watched it all in that timeframe

Why sensationalize stories like this for days and weeks on end? All it does is glorify this type of stuff to people with more than a few screws loose.

[fleur-de-lisa]

6. Yes, it is major news and it should be reported . . .

but there is no need to broadcast the murderers name over and over and to show photographs of him/her repeatedly. It's just ego fuel for the next narcissistic sociopath to come along and kill innocent people so his/her name will live in infamy.

Enough! We have to stop giving them the notoriety they crave!

[Roland99]

8. Bingo!

[NCTraveler]

10. I disagree. If he was looking for notoriety he would still be alive.

Doesn't matter if you like it or not, he is a major part of the story. His life should be examined publicly and closely to see where things went wrong. It may give the public some insight. They may see similar patterns in those around them and give them the ability to try to stop this before it happens. His actions, as much as they can be, need to be understood. How he got there and any warning signs should be known to all.

[pnwmom]

4. If this is the fault of the news coverage, why don't women become mass shooters?

They watch just as much TV.

[Roland99]

7. There have been cases...and we may see more

Female Mass Murderers: Major Cases and Motives
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/mass/female_mass_murderer/4.html

Mass Murder in Alabama - Female Shooter
http://mikeb302000.blogspot.com/2010/02/mass-murder-in-alabama-female-shooter.html

[pnwmom]

12. Other than the Alabama woman, what other woman has been involved in a mass shooting?

The whole point of the second link you cited was that it's so unusual for a woman to be involved in this type of crime. Why is that so, if the news coverage is so determinative?

[Roland99]

13. You obviously didn't read the article at that link

Plus, and this is just conjecture on my part, some men may just be wired to seek out a violent end to whatever their issue is (just look at the vast majority of spouse abusers that are male)

[pnwmom]

15. I did read the whole article about the Alabama woman and it said nothing about more cases.

I have heard about other female "mass murderers" -- one was a nurse who poisoned her patients. Is that what you're talking about?

[SpartanDem]

5. I agree all this does is encourage copycats

[kestrel91316]

9. God forbid we find out about and be concerned about GUN violence.

Because it might make us collectively wake up to the Constitution's MANDATE that our Militia be WELL-REGULATED.

[Roland99]

11. There's a HUGE difference between reporting NEWS and sensationalizing the news

[Johonny]

14. is it possible to report the news and not sensationalize the news

as people have asked is it possible to make a war movie and not glamorize the act of war? Film critics disagree on that note but most people tend to understand the problem. Sensational news is hard to not sensationalize. It isn't impossible, but it isn't that hard to fail.