As everyone probably knows by now, thirty two students and the shooter were killed yesterday at Virginia Tech University. Another student died today from her injuries in a hospital. The media, in my opinion, is becoming a bit obsessive in this matter. Watching the local news this morning, there was a brief mention to the incident in the morning report, but turning to Good Morning America, there was extensive coverage on old news. Then again this evening from between the hours of 5:30 and 10:00, there have been two one hour specials featuring Charles Gibson and the GMA crew covering the massacre. It is getting very old very quickly. The media is being insensitive, in my opinion, to the feelings of the students and families that were involved in one way or another in the matter. All these people are doing is trying to get more people to watch their broadcasts, and they don't even have any new information. The media should not abuse thier power on the tv in this way. They should focus their time, energy, and attention on new stories that are occurring like the continued flooding in New England or the tornadoes that touched down near the Texas panhandle today. The massacre is a big story and this type of news does not come along every day, but that does not mean report the same stuff over and over and take from regularly programmed shows. Others may not have the same view as I do on this, but as a future meteorologist and journalist, I feel that the GMA crew is overdoing their coverage on this story.
Media Coverage of the VT Massacre is Sickening
By swimgirl - Posted on April 17th, 2007
I'd have to disagree. Being a college student makes this event exremely unsettling and I found myself wanting more and more information. My reaction to the media was that they were being sensitive by giving their respect towards the friends and families of the victims and to the VT community. It would be unrespectful if the media ignored this issue or treated it simply as another piece of news. The massacre of 32 teachers and students isn't an event to be taken lightly, even if there is little information about the event. The media realizes this and respondes it by intensely covering the story from all sides, whether it be the actual facts, the students' experiences, the parents', the community coming together, and even other college communities giving their condolences towards the Virgina Tech community.
if you had family or friends die then you would not be saying this. im sorry your opinion is your opinion, but i have to strongly disagree~ Those kids diserve to be remembered and obvioulsly there wasnt enough coverage of columbine to make people do something about so there needs to be in the vt tech massacre! Also this is history, never before has a singlegunman killed this many people and history deserves to be reported on. I hope as a future journalist you will come to realize this! You are entitled to your opinion even though it is wrong.
Em <3
Opinions are never wrong, that is why they are not called facts. I feel that there is nothing wrong with it. These companies, although they are bringing the news to us, are also in it for the money, ratings, etc.
--I am nothing special, just the combined efforts of every
person I've ever met and every book I've ever read.
All of the coverage in the world can't stop things from happening, it sucks but you know *shurgs* Like what happened today: http://www.progressiveu.org/213627-north-carolina-student-brings-a-gun-to-school-today-and
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See my blog and I'll love you forever! Or at least temporarily: www.progressiveu.org/blog/npsm18
Thank you jac. I was just saying that repeating the same information gets old and repetitive. Sure this is a big story, but so is the story about a student getting suspended from a local middle school today for having hate letters and a death wish list naming over thirty people is also a big story. This story came out today, yet it was pretty much skipped over by the news even though it could have become just as deadly as the VT massacre. I just wish that the GMA and Nightline crew would try and make this massacre story apply to people more if they are going to do extended coverage on it. Our local news station has at least gotten reactions from the college students in our area, but it would be nice if the big news shows would do the same.
I agree that the media is overdoing the news bout the VT massacre. Ok i understand that yes it was awful and terrible, but does anybody think about more IMPORTANT news that have happened and are still happening today. For example, what has been occurring in Darfur. There have been WAY MORE than 33 people killed and no one even talks about it in the news! I believe we should be more aware of what is happening in the globe right now at this minute than to keep hearing about what happened about 3 days ago.
Personally, I thought it was pretty insensitive of the media. The school, students, and their family should have been left to mourn in peace. I know that this was important, and of course the report of the aftermath were necessary, but after that, it should have been dropped. I feel a lot of sympathy for the victims and the school, and I think the worst thing the media could have done was to continue to be so persistent about it.