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.
They could have sent the entire envelope unopened to the FBI.
Ratings whores!!
They are scum to allow themselves to used by this sicko!
The ‘viewing’ will bring ‘em out of the woodwork, The nuts are probably saying to themselves, “Hey, that’s how I feel.”
Have been doing a search, but found nothing as of yet. One would have to watch the line up and see who is a no-show from the pre-show tease schedule.
Cue the sound of a cash register.
Jessica Simpson and Paris Hilton.
Hey, no reason to insult Beavis and Butthead. :-)
We’ll never know what Fox would have done if they’d been the recipient of the package, but they ran it ad nauseum yesterday and early this morning. The thing is when one network shows it all of them feel compelled to follow suit or lose ratings. It all comes down to $$$ and I’m surprised NBC shared so quickly.
NBC
should be NBW
Nothing But Whores
“we’ll do ANYTHING for ratings”
“The real explanation: Ratings.”
Precisely!
This was an EXCLUSIVE and they made $$$$ off it.
A liberal will do ANYTHING for money. ANYTHING!
Then FEELINGS don’t matter.
I just went to Google, and can you believe they have the VT Cho stories listed under entertainment? http://news.google.com/news?ned=us
No. It doesn't. The lunatic was a nutcase and NBC gave him a platform to speak from the grave to all the other lunatics in our society.
More than that, Terror cells have been trying to get the materials they need to stage a dramatic attack like 9-11. But they have been running into problems when they try to get explosives, steal tankers, or learn to fly a plane. ALL of them now know that all they need is a couple of guns and a gathering of defenseless sheep. And voila, we give them the education institutions and 24/7 media coverage on EVERY Network. The MSM is a terrorist wet-dream. Expect more of this........very soon.
Hannity and Holmes were running his stuff too.....it was sick.
I don’t know if he was a Muslim, Muslim wanna be or what.
What I DO know is he was the typical LEFTIST LIBERAL.
He HATED CHRISTIANS. ENVIED those that had more. Reveled in being a SELF CREATED VICTIM and it’s YOUR fault. We hear this over and over again from the LEFT. For sure, he was a godless LEFTIST.
It is fitting that he should send his garbage to another LEFTIST news station, NBC.
NBC’s idiotic decision will establish the truth of the phrase “Money is the root of future evil”. Oh, that karma may bite them in the biggest of ways...
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