U.S. TV Avoids Graphic Iraq Images

AP ^ | Wed Mar 31, 9:36 PM ET | Lynn Elber

[znix]

U.S. TV Avoids Graphic Iraq Images

Wed Mar 31, 9:36 PM ET By LYNN ELBER, AP Television Writer

LOS ANGELES - Macabre images of four American contractors killed in Iraq (news - web sites) filled television screens worldwide Wednesday but were largely shunned by American television that deemed them too graphic. etwork and cable newscasts planned judicious use of the video, which included images of the victims' charred bodies dragged through the street and two of them hanging from a bridge.

"We've had similar discussions throughout the war" in how to handle such raw footage, said Steve Capus, executive producer of "NBC Nightly News."

In this case, it is "very disturbing, it's awful. Quite honestly, it doesn't need to be seen in full in order to convey the horrors of this despicable act," Capus said.

Fox News Channel planned to limit its images to shots of the burning vehicles in which the civilian contractors to the U.S. government had been riding — and to shots of joyous crowds in Fallujah.

"We have no plans to show more graphic footage," said Bill Shine, Fox's vice president of production. "We made the call that it was too graphic in nature to put on our air."

Despite what competitors may do, "Right now, we're going to stay with the decision we made," Shine said.

What CNN anchorman Wolf Blitzer called "a day of horror," in which five U.S. soldiers also were killed, was largely described rather then seen on the cable news channel.

But CNN, which said it initially limited images to give authorities time to inform next of kin, ventured further on its 7 p.m. broadcast, "Anderson Cooper 360."

"There is much more we will not show, but we believe some images are necessary to fully illustrate the extent of the violence," CNN correspondent Walter Rodgers said from Iraq.

A few seconds of video of two burned bodies dangling from the bridge were shown, preceded by a viewer discretion advisory.

CBS had planned to use some of the graphic footage on its "Evening News," according to executive producer Jim Murphy, but decided against it by airtime. Anchor Dan Rather signed on by saying the images were too gruesome even for grown-up eyes.

Coverage of the Iraq story largely gave way Wednesday afternoon on the cable channels to a domestic story: The discovery of missing Wisconsin college student Audrey Seiler.

Both the Pentagon (news - web sites) and the White House said they did not ask any media outlets to suppress use of the Fallujah video.

"It is offensive, it is despicable the way these individuals have been treated," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said. "We hope everybody acts responsibly in their coverage of it."

At the Pentagon, Bryan Whitman, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, said neither he nor the top spokesman, Larry Di Rita, were involved in network decisions.

"It's not the practice of the Pentagon. The Pentagon did not advise the networks as to whether or not they should show gruesome footage," Whitman said. "The Pentagon would hope that news managers and news organizations would exercise good judgment when making decisions with respect to graphic images of casualties."

In other countries viewers got a very different picture, sometimes edited, sometimes not.

In London, Channel 4 News broadcast an electronically blurred body being dragged through the street and the longer shot of burned and mutilated corpses hanging from the bridge, without obscuring them.

Sky News television repeatedly showed an edited version of the footage, lasting about 15 seconds. As the voiceover referred to scenes of "bloodthirsty brutality" and a "grisly celebration," Sky showed about 15 seconds of the corpses, with the bodies blurred, being dragged through the street.

In Paris, LCI television station showed the footage of the bodies being dragged down the street and hanging from the bridge, without blurring them.

In Germany, ZDF News showed video of the burning SUV and rioting crowds, with a somber voiceover saying what had happened to the contractors, but did not show any pictures of bodies. They also showed video of a U.S. Humvee on its side with an Iraqi grabbing something out of the top, but again no bodies.

The Web site of Spanish television station Telecinco is showing the video of corpses being dragged through the streets in Iraq.

Eight photographs of the Fallujah attack were transmitted by The Associated Press with an advisory to editors to "Note graphic content." An AP photo of the bridge scene with two bodies was used on the Web site of The New York Times, with a "Graphic content" advisory attached to other photos on the site.

AP Television News footage of the attacks, including the bodies on the bridge and a glimpse of a burned corpse, was carried on news Web sites including the Times and The Washington Post.

___

AP Television Writer Frazier Moore contributed to this report.

[znix]

I'm of the opinion that these images SHOULD be shown on the evening news. Four American citizens killed and disgraced. I find this censorship as repulsive as the 9/11 blackout.

[kattracks]

USA TODAY has a link to a video on it's front page.

[MEG33]

The still pictures are on FR..the stills depict the hyena pack very well.I can only compare them to hungry hyenas,feeding off a corpse.

[kingu]

I don't know where this AP reporter was in Los Angeles, but the person certainly missed the local news broadcasts which repeatedly showed the footage, abet with a blur over the bodies.

[mitch5501]

Here in Adelaide Australia we saw a few seconds of bodies being dragged through the street and hanging from a bridge,the bodies were blurred.

The people who did this are a big worry.

I can't quite sit still here at home knowing what sort of violence is being perpetrated in countries that are genuinely being helped out of what appears to be a miserable stone age existance.It appears some people don't give a fat rat's a## about what happens as long as it doesn't directly effect them.

I believe these images should be shown perhaps on a late edition of the news to give folks a more balanced view of what goes on.

It was one of the most disgracefull things I've ever seen done by so-called human beings,what miserable lives they must lead that such an atrocity makes them celebrate,especially the guy beating on a charred corpse with a steel pipe.Trully sickening.

God bless and keep the families of these brutally slain men.

God bless America

[mitch5501]

and God bless and keep the family of the woman who was slain.

[zarf]

We, as a nation (easy to say when it's not your loved ones involved) must power through this and stay to entrench some sort of sanity on this back wards "society".

These people in this region are a pathetic bunch and the world is getting too small to ignore this barbarism.

A massive retaliation is a band aid-

the forces of civilization must spread its influence to these hell holes.

[Dallas59]

The left could use it without end. I don't think it would be wise to give them ammunition.

[wolficatZ]

Even the "graphic" USA Today video has scenes cut from it that are in the Feedroom clip. Brutal attack.

http://www.feedroom.com

[Prime Choice]

The left could use it without end. I don't think it would be wise to give them ammunition.

Showing those pictures might give the Leftists ammunition, but it would only be the guided type that would only acquire their feet as targets. If they tried parading these pictures about with glee, I think it's safe to say that they'd lose a lot of Americans who are straddling the fence.

It doesn't take an exaggerated sense of moral outrage to be disgusted by anyone who takes glee in the horrific death of a fellow American.

[mitch5501]

"...the world is getting too small to ignore this barbarism."

That's the whole shebang in a perfect nutshell!

It gets my vote for quote of the day...

THE WORLD IS GETTING TOO SMALL TO IGNORE THIS BARBARISM

...posted by zarf

well said!

God bless

[rrrod]

valid points, the mentality of the region is beyond most americans comprehension,( this is not an insutl to my fellow americans!)however, should iraq fail all hell will break loose! im not an expert on the region, but lived and worked there for almost 20 yrs. iraq has an excellant chance to become an enlightened beacon. i fully and whole heartedly support our actions there. i am dissapointed that an iraqi leader hasnt stepped up yet tho. i expect we will see more atrocities before june30 and then continue till our elelction. comments welcome

[MEG33]

They were trying to outdo their Somalian brothers of the faith.Hyenas over a kill..despicable and sickening.

[MEG33]

More here.

[Adder]

I agree. I think the public should have their noses rubbed in it to show what we are up against. I realize that a majority approve of our being there but others need convincing apparently. I don't think its a case of respecting the dead, either. Rather, it illustrates vividly how little these barbarians care for the dead.
They are proud of their "insurgency" having had made videos praising them and encouraging them shown around the Muslim world, based on the "Black Hawk Down" movie.
Drudge shows a 10yr old boy stepping on the burned head of one of the victims. 10 years old.
Meanwhile, the absolute horror of these savages is hidden from people by those who want to "protect" their sensibilities. The Iraqis have no such compunctions, however and are eager to watch. Nearly half of people interviewed in Baghdad said the 4 got what they deserved. Yeah? Disgusting!
The point is NOT being well made, imho.

[MEG33]

Where did you find the Baghdad information"nearly half say the 4 got what they deserved"?

[TomGuy]

The Suni triangle could easily turn into another Somalia, unless strong action is taken against the Suni triangle thugs. Make it an example. Otherwise, the thugs are emboldened.

[mitch5501]

"They were trying to outdo their Somalian brothers of the faith.Hyenas over a kill"

Lets hope the response is radically different this time.

God bless

[lula]

We need to see the truth, not sugar coat it. Some of us can and will turn away. If we saw the carnage and brutality, we will be less likely to forget it. In two weeks this will be old news, except for the families involved. We are a visual society. Look at the billions spent on commercials in this country.
The same for the suicide bombers, murders, abortions and all other evil deeds. If the awful truth were put in front of us, who then can agree with any kind of abortion for instance. Who could politicize such events? No one could twist and spin the truth although they would try.
For those who believe we can't handle the truth, we have hollywoods' attempt at blood and gore. As for responsible journalism, they could warn us first, and perhaps obscure identities until families were notified. If we actually saw what was really happening in our counrty, in the world, we just might be more involved and proactive. As it is now only what, 23% of registered voters get out on election day.
We're not children,we can handle it!!!

[Renegade]

The Atlantic City Press(NJ) had the color picture of two charred bodies hanging from the bridge supports on THE MIDDLE OF FRONT PAGE in 5x7 format .