Years ago, over a decade at least, I had some lengthy talks with friends about the break down of the world. I told them to keep an eye out for reporters being targeted by angry mobs. That would be a breaking point.
For generations now, the press has felt the freedom, and been offered the relative safety, of being non-participants in events. They are able to get incredible footage of wars, riots, even crimes without being targeted by those involved.
But when that protection is removed, it’s because the last vestige of respect for even bystanders is gone.
A couple of years ago in the Egypt riots, reporters were attacked. We’ve seen it happen a few times in Europe in the last year, and now it is popping up in isolated instances in the U.S.
Eventually, a reporter will be attacked and killed in a live broadcast about a riot. (There was one instance last year, but the reporter herself was the primary target of the violence.)
When the first reporter is killed on live television because of a riot, then the media will stop seeing the violence as a way to get ratings.
“When a reporter is killed on live television”
Didn’t that happen a couple of years ago? Although IIRC, it was personal, not riot-based.