Monday, April 16, 2007/10:12 PM
A moment of
silence please...
For the professors and students who lost their lives today at Virginia Tech. And over what, apparently they now believe it was a domestic dispute between a student and his girlfriend. My Uncle (who is a retired cop) has said that the worst thing to walk into is a domestic disturbance. Apparently you never know which way it's gonna blow, and explode it did today. For that I am truly sorry. So please lets take a few moments.
And now for my slightly angry rant ob-zrudvation about this tragedy today. It has to do with NBC nightly news. I adore NBC. I especially like Brian Williams, I have since he started filling in for Tom Brokaw, he just has something. Anyway, although I was trained to be a journalist (associates degree in communications) and thus understand you should never trust any ONE news agency, but rather get your sources from many places, I do trust NBC and have them on my short list of news agencies to turn to. But my God DATELINE is a horrible and exploited this tragedy and THEN some. They just had to dissect it into a million little pieces (this is the reason why i only have a TWO YEAR degree in journalism) they had to make an hour show about what happened today. ya know, some days I just can't stomach what the media does.
And once again they went too far tonight (in my opinion). NBC hunted down some c-list news woman on their team that went to V-tech in the 70s (I'm just guessing from the looks of her, maybe it was the early 80s) and asked her to sit in a dark, one light-lit room and describe her feelings today as she watched the news roll in. Ok, um lady you're alumni. From nearly 30 years ago. You weren't there, thus your opinion isn't really NEWS worthy. What they should have done was send you to cover the ACTUAL story then quickly asked your feelings before they return to the studio, they should have never given you nearly 10 minutes of your own airtime. You came off as patronizing and ridiculous (of course this is just MY opinion)
She sounded as though she was whining that this had happened. One of her comments was about her school sweaters (and other school related keep-sakes) and how she'll never be able to look at them the same again. I wanted to shout back "Lady, this incident is yes indeed horrible. But if it were to have happened at my Alma mater i would not suddenly be disgusted at the sight my school sweater because it's tainted. I would not look at my pictures of the good times, pout and say 'jeez then some guy came and shot everyone that i didn't know and now my school is ruined!'" Seriously this was how she came off on screen... again this is all in my opinion. This wannabe newscaster then tried to say how the school would rise again and the students would overcome. Yes. In this case I do agree and pray that this is so.
But getting back to my complaint...I'm sorry, but moments like this (this nutty decision of NBC to fill up the last 10 minutes of Dateline because they ran out of stuff to disect) they are what disgusts me and drove me away from becoming a reporter all those years ago.
This isn't your moment lady, stop trying make it so. Instead have some dignity, tell your bosses, no we won't exploit this incident and simply say, I went to school there. I enjoyed my time. I have friends there still and I'm praying for their safety and the memories of those we have lost. The end. Short, sweet... RESPECTFUL.
