Posted on 04/19/2007 1:39:56 PM PDT by fight_truth_decay
NBC News's decision to telecast portions of the video material it received Wednesday from Virginia Tech killer Cho Seung-Hui, material that was disseminated by other print and electronic news divisions, provoked reaction that moved the news division to release an explanatory statement Thursday.
It did not quell negative reverberations, including the cancellation of appearances on NBC's "Today" show Thursday in protest of the decision made by NBC News. The network also imprinted the NBC News credit on everything released to other media from the package it was sent by Cho.
In one of the on-air moments of recognition that NBC News' decision was not a unanimous one internally, "Today" co-host Matt Lauer said Thursday morning that there were "some big differences of opinion right within this news division as to whether we should be airing this stuff at all."
"The Virginia Tech killer's death wish has come to pass," Accuracy in Media editor Cliff Kincaid said in a statement released Thursday. "NBC is playing into the cold dead hands of a mass murderer, exploiting his paranoid delusions for ratings and profit. This is exactly what he wanted."
However, Mr. Kincaid also said NBC News should make the entire contents available for "public inspection" on the Web.
The NBC News statement began with an acknowledgment that "the pain suffered by the Virginia Tech community, and indeed the entire country, is immeasurable.
"Upon receiving the materials from Cho Seung-Hui, NBC News took careful consideration in determining how the information should be distributed. We did not rush the material onto air, but instead consulted with local authorities, who have since publicly acknowledged our appropriate handling of the matter," the NBC statement continued. "Beginning this morning, we have limited our usage of the video across NBC News, including MSNBC, to no more than 10 percent of our airtime.
"Our Standards & Policies chief reviewed all material before it was released. One of our most experienced correspondents, [Justice Department reporter] Pete Williams, handled the reporting. We believe it provides some answers to the critical question, 'Why did this man carry out these awful murders?'" the statement continued.
"The decision to run this video was reached by virtually every news organization in the world, as evidenced by coverage on television, on Web sites and in newspapers. We have covered this story—and our unique role in it—with extreme sensitivity, underscored by our devoted efforts to remember and honor the victims and heroes of this tragic incident. We are committed to nothing less."
What do you think about NBC News?s decision? Leave your comments and join the discussion here.
"The BEST thing that could happen is to make it illegal to report these kinds of stories. I believe the media coverage actually causes them to happen. The media storm is exactly the result that these individuals want to create and it works every single time.--
Left by crosspatch on April 17th, 2007
One could claim it was not the gun that killed, but the man behind the gun who pulled the trigger. Is NBC an accomplice to the next "messed up" kid who seeks to leave this world with a 'media written epitaph' comparing him or her to Hitler and the Columbine shooters?
NBC must be run by Beavis and Butthead.
The real explanation: Ratings.
My email to NBC:
“Please don’t give that little creep any more publicity.”
Which is why that monster sent it to NBC rather than FOX.
Wasnt NBC the old radio network?? Sounds famiLIAR.
The same station that bashed Don Imus to hell and helped get him removed from the airwaves now gives a sympathetic view and the airwaves to a POS who murdered 32 people. That`s our lib media for you!
Which guest appearances were cancelled? Anyone know?
Nope, just giving the public what they want. You can’t say a curse word, and HEAVEN forbid a boob is exposed because little johnny may be irrevocably harmed. But this shit, which will directly lead to the death of other people, is A-OK.
Talk about F’d up priorities.
OK... I am willing to venture a guess, that there were some executives within NBC who were proposing to hold the tapes until Sweeps Month (starts May 1st) and have a "Gripping 2 Hour News Special" in which the tapes would be publicly unveiled for the first time.
It was parents of the victims that cancelled an appearance on the Today Show.
Right now there is another sicko taking all this in and thinking about how much publicity he’ll get for doing the same thing.
Thanks NBC!
(network of choice for mass murdering scum)
how more perfect?
the nuts on tv
and the normal people not on tv.
See, when they do this for ratings, what they’re really doing is airing it for money. They set out to profit from this evil.
Scumbags.
Hitler and Stalin, I think.
Fox has since ran the video but now isn’t, I think all of the media outlets have gone way , way over the top, but NBC began the assault with the murderer having his way and giving him his last death wish.
FINALLY!!!
It is impossible for me to describe how sick I am of "corporate speak."
Under ANY other circumstance NBC DESTROYED evidence because they handled the materials in order to make copies.
IF there was another possible accomplice who could be traced via prints or DNA, the chain of custody has been compromised.
Hope they enjoy this blip in ratings,
next week they go back to test pattern levels.
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