Ethically Questionable Decision at NBC News
I assume many, many people, tuned in to the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams tonight to see what they would air of the “multimedia manifesto” sent to the network by Cho Seung-Hui, the man who murdered 32 people at Virginia Tech on Monday. I was one of the people who watched.
I’m no ethicist, but it seems journalistically irresponsible to air the ravings of a madman. Yes, even if the video is delivered to your doorstep. Would NBC (or any network, really) air a tape if it was sent to them from Osama bin Laden? Actually, they probably would.
I guess that’s the big question. At what point is a news organization providing legitimate information and at what point are they giving a platform to someone who absolutely doesn’t deserve it?
I’m of the opinion that in the current climate of “all media all the time,” everything should –Â and eventually will –Â be released for public consumption. That being said the platform has become more important than ever. I’m not saying that NBC shouldn’t release this content, but television is the widest possible audience and is a closed format. The viewer doesn’t have the choice of to what they’re being exposed. They either watch or don’t. Releasing the content on the web, however, gives the viewers and users alike the option of seeking out the information that they want without giving the creator of that content the satisfaction of knowing that the message was carried out as planned.
The thing is, there is certainly news in this story. The fact that those two hours between the first shooting and the second are now accounted for is worth broadcasting the story. But that story can be told without, in essence, giving a murderer an audience of twelve million people.
I’m curious what the newscasts would have looked like if the package was sent to all three major networks? Would some have taken the stance that they wouldn’t air the photos and videos?
Decide for yourself if you want to read (and see) more at MSNBC.com
April 18th, 2007 at 10:31 pm
I agree- and I believe one newsperson/specialist in some area of this case said something to the effect of - he has now achieved victory. This is what he wanted. He wanted everyone to hear what he had to say- and we did. What a lucky bastard. Oh- and- did you see the “artistic” pictures of the bullets? Its almost a tragedy he is gone.