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From: jim@sivax.UUCP (Jim Boman)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: The Press parasites
Message-ID: <185@sivax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 30-Jan-86 14:25:04 EST
Article-I.D.: sivax.185
Posted: Thu Jan 30 14:25:04 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Feb-86 05:06:17 EST
References: <M24.6750@NJIT-EIES.MAILNET>
Organization: System Industries, Milpitas, Ca
Lines: 25

Bob Czech writes:
> 
>      It's been about 4 hours since the Challenger blew up and the most disgusting aspect of this whole accident is the way the press has handled it.  This is
> usually the problem that most people find with great tragedies.  Nothing bothered us more here at CCCC more than the way that ABC, descretely (said in REAL
> sarcasm), enabled us to view the teacher's parents as the Challenger ascended and then after the explosion.  It's one thing to drag out an apparent accident,
> but another to feed and use upon human emotions as they did. 

Don't forget why the press is there...to report. They don't enjoy having
to bring reality to the screen, but what happens, happens. What else can
they do? Run Bugs Bunny cartoons? Of course not. They're not there to make
judgements as to what is "fit" for us to see. They were there. The relatives
were there. The shuttle exploded. We watched. There is nothing disgusting
about that...it's sad. You want disgusting? If reporters had made a mad dash
for the bleachers and asked the stupid "How do you feel" questions to the 
relatives at that time, THAT would be disgusting, and I dare say that ANY
journalist who attempted that would soon find himself looking for work as 
a copyboy. That's how the press used to act in this country (remember the
Hauptmann case?), and I think you'll agree that most don't any more.

Next time a tragedy occurs, put yourself in the place of the press. What
would you do, keeping in mind that you have a job to do? Read Bob Czech's
first comment again. Don't you think that the loss of life, and the sense
of loss everyone felt is disgusting? The fact that millions of little kids
were watching? Only someone who has a serious problem with journalists would
think what Mr. Czech thinks