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Monday, February 15, 2010

MSM oversteps on coverage of slider death

I looked at it and had to shake my head again.

Why are they doing this?

NBC Nightly News rightly led Friday night with its Winter Olympic coverage and Brian Williams.

Then wrongly showed several replays of the Georgian luge athlete’s shocking and tragic death during a practice run earlier in the day.

CBS News did the same thing.

I didn’t watch everybody else but since they all usually follow each others lead (with the often exception of ABC World News Tonight), I’m assuming they did too.

That is something we only need to see once.

I’m okay with showing it one time and that’s it.

I like what ESPN did during its Sunday morning shows by simply showing several pictures, *not video*.

We need to just keep this in perspective.

A mother and father lost a son at only 21 years old.

An entire country lost an athlete.

I was greatly disappointed in several national news outlets in showing it several times, including one doing a replay *in slow motion*.

Yes—- in slow motion.

I’m not a news director nor will I probably ever be one.

But in my newsroom Friday the accident would’ve been shown once.

That’s it.

And that’s enough.

Reader Reactions

Posted by ( jrb1142@cox.net ) on February 15, 2010 at 5:53 pm

Scott, I could not agree with you more.  I think it is terrible how the news feels that it is their right and responsibility to show all the news, over and over again to make sure “EVERYONE” does see their story.  They never consider the family and friends that are grieving.  I used to be a police officer and I was always amazed and the number of “Rubber Neckers” that would slow down to a crawl while driving by.  Some to be careful, most to get a glimpse of blood and guts.  Not considering or caring that if there is blood - someone is hurt; and if there is death - someone just lost someone they loved.  And then when you get home,  you get to watch it again and again and again.  Thank you for bringing this subject up for discussion.

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About 90 seconds with Scott Leamon

Scott Leamon started at WSLS in October of '03, and has worked in the NRV and Roanoke newsrooms. He loves chocolate malts and reporting.

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