The NBC folks were drooling all over themselves last night

[missingpeace]

They kept displaying contents of the "multi-media" package sent to them by Cho over and over and over again. Even during Keith Ob's entire hour, the same photos with the guns, the self portraits, the recorded messages, over and over. Not only sickening, but really stupid. If any other lunatics out there consider something similar, they can be assured of a national, front and center stage for their show. The networks are more than willing to oblige. It's business after all - right?

[meegbear]

1. Could have been worse ...

he could have sent them to Fox, then their local affiliates would be whoring it for weeks.

[Jacobin]

2. We don't have news anymore. Its just the latest freak show

Anna Nichol, VT shooter, etc etc.

Its like 24/7 National Enquirer on cable.

Its utterly useless for information that a nation needs to govern itself. Its pablum and brain candy for the train wreck voyeurs. A distraction for a nation spinning out of control with the neo cons in charge.

Its sick

[KharmaTrain]

3. We Don't Know What They Didn't Show

Initially, someone reported here that the package included the video of the first killings (not sure if that's been totally debunked), but we didn't get an uncut and detailed tour of what was in that package. They even blurred out Cho's lips to prevent obscene lip readers from getting a repeated thrill.

Also, they worked with authorities to withold the contents and not air them until it was announced at the VT Press Conference. They didn't even leak they had these materials...and then didn't rush to get them on the air. Yes, they had an exclusive and that's how the medium works. This was fresh information and maybe here was the answer many of us have regarding this tragedy: why.

If this was sickening, why did you keep watching? I hit overload with these newschannels and have learned to use the channel changer or the off knob when their inane coverage gets overwhelming.

[missingpeace]

7. Why did I keep watching, you ask?

I did not. I was out last night and recorded the 6:30 news all the way through Keith's hour. I started to fast-forward through ads as usual and, after the first news segment, fast-forwarded through the "Cho Show". You could tell easily because it was the same images again and again. I F-F'd through almost all of what I recorded including the entire Keith hour. It was an interesting perspective and really emphasized the ridiculous saturation given to this spectacle.

[KharmaTrain]

9. You Also Recorded It Immediately After This Came Out

You caught this story as some new and relevant information pertaining to the murder of 32 people had just come out. Should they have sat on it...or put out some vague description? Wouldn't that be censorship? So now, what's better...seeing too much or having a corporate decide what is proper to see or not? Some of us don't consider the tragic deaths of 33 people as a spectacle.

[missingpeace]

10. That was the problem

The excessive coverage was not about the deaths of the 33 people. The network made it about Cho. He was the star of the show - the spectacle.

[mwb970]

11. We hear very little about the victims on CHO-TV,

The fascination is entirely with Cho, Cho, Cho and his new hit video. I wonder how many hundreds of times those clips have been run on MSNBC alone. I was so sorry to see KO waste his entire hour glorifying a mass murderer. I sure hope his producers made him do it!

[missingpeace]

13. You can send email to [e-mail]

Let 'em know what you think if you are so moved. I just did - hope they get a lot of mail.

[bdamomma]

18. and one of Keith's guest, did say showing the video over and

over again was not a good idea.

[KharmaTrain]

12. Au Contrare...

Isn't finding out what was in the mind of a killer something very, very important to the deaths of the 32 others? If this was your loved one, would't you want to know why? Wouldn't you want to get a better picture what made this guy snap and do what he did...get a little more closure here.

Also, who knows...there may be another Cho...or a dozen...lurking in the corners of our society. They might be in a dorm, an office or down the hall...a loner type that may exhibit the traits that could lead to some type of intervention and another tragedy of this type can be prevented.

Generally, I'm very critical of media spectacles...especially when its obvious there's a hidden agenda. Schaivo as an example. I do resent the corporate media interjecting themselves into the story as they do, but when the story comes to them, as this package did to NBC, can you blame them for not showing it? We have enough censorship from the corporate media.

Cheers...

[missingpeace]

17. You make some good points

I agree with most of them, but the problem I have is the saturation. After seeing the same stuff re-run to the point of absurdity, I start bitchin' and moanin'. I got the information OK the first, second and third time. True-not everyone saw it when I did. So, how about the networks set a specific time to show it for those who missed it, advertise it as necessary and then get on with other news? It's the constant, in-your-face, mega-show complete with dramatic title and eye-catching graphics that get my knickers in a knot.

[KharmaTrain]

19. I Appreciate Your Points As Well

The fun of a Discussion board. :rofl:

Don't get me wrong, I see a lot of saturation coverage here and was just trying to throw some contrary points and observations. The real exploitation and saturation is ahead as some will remain obsessed on this story beyond it's "shelf life" (right after the funerals) and we get into the strange "glorification" of Cho. That's what I find extremely revolting since that's where we get the real shock games...the conspiracies and where the seeds of the next copycat really loom.

Sadly we have a society that has been desensitized and exploited by our media machines...most of us for our entire lives. Some rise above, others find comfort in keeping their worlds closed and simple.

Welcome to DU!

:toast:

[EST]

4. I was deeply disappointed by Keith's continued recounting

of facts and circumstances that just simply need no additional recounting. So disappointed, in fact, that as soon as he announced the precis of his five countdown points, I turned it off-for the first time in I don't know how long.

I hope he did that additional homage to the s-o-s under protest. I think he's too smart and cultured to do it on his own hook.

[Connie_Corleone]

6. I didn't even watch Keith's show last night.

I got sick of the coverage. I watched a DVD instead.

[SmokingJacket]

5. Yep. If you're not talented enough for American Idol...

now all you have to do is shoot a bunch of people.

[TornadoTN]

8. If you thought NBC was bad, you should have seen Wolfie on CNN

When it was announced that NBC had recieved a package from the killer and that they would be the ones to first air the information, you could see the disappointment in Wolf Blitzers face and hear it in his voice - it was the most saddened I had heard him through the entire ordeal (or any ordeal for that matter). He kept asking - "do we know if he sent any more packages? Perhaps to another station?".

It was sickening.

[Marie26]

22. Ugh

What a pack of ghouls.

[lectrobyte]

14. Luckily I'd TIVO'd "Network" off of TCM from a week or two back, and

watched that instead.

[Connie_Corleone]

15. I TIVO'd it too last week. I watched it over the weekend.

[bdamomma]

16. start sending e-mails to the media

and complain to them that enough is enough, they are making this killer a martyr.

I already did to CNN and MSNBC.

[Na Gael]

20. Recognition

More and more children are progressing through life with less and less Positive Recognition in their lives. Some children receive so little positive recognition that it is seen as a foreign and uncomfortable experience. On the other hand, many of these same children receive copious amounts of Negative Recognition in various forms. Historically(and rare), extreme cases of this situation can be seen in some of the former Soviet Union's adoption houses. However varying degrees of these situations are not rare, and with an expanding populace, are becoming more commonplace.

Couple the aforementioned, with a growing acceptance and media sensationalism of violent lifestyles, and we have a proverbial tinderbox for situations like the one played out. Continuous media coverage ensures recognition. With the advent of sctricter controls, larger more outlandish displays of violence are the result. It is a negative spiral. Unfortunately, it will take an unprecedented societal change, the likes of which I am afraid the general public may not approve. Until that time, temporary controls mixed with the media's approval of newer and deadlier acts, will only provide temporary relief. Then, someone will invariably decide to "outperform" the last act.

[Marie26]

21. Makes me glad I don't have cable.

Those photos made my heart stop. Showing them over & over - it's traumatizing the nation, disrespecting the victims, & making a murderer a superstar. And for what? Ratings? Money?

[Beelzebud]

23. It was sick. Even Olbermann couldn't refuse...

Olbermann had a psychologist on saying that they images of the man should not be shown because it would inspire other whackos.

As he was saying this, they were running the pictures on an endless loop...

[AuntPatsy]

24. As would any of the stations that had gotten such a scoop, we should

blame the marjority of viewers if you think about it for how far our journalistic standards have fallen, if more people boycotted all three of the main news outlets, it would have to stop wouldn't you think?