How terribly sad. As everyone knows by now, all but one of the West Virginia miners were found dead.Saddest is that the families were given false hope and left to celebrate for hours before they were informed that the miners were found dead. Understandably, they erupted with anger at the news.
Last night I watched the news and was astounded to hear that the miners were found alive. I heard, with my own ears, reporter after reporter on all the stations informing and interviewing family members. I heard them make statements like, ‘The miners are being taken to be medically checked out and we will interview them after they are cleared’.
They interviewed family members. They made statements like, ‘The miners understandably want to visit with their families before talking with the press.’
This morning I heard the very same reporters on the very same stations reporting that the miners were found dead.
And, these very same reporters on the very same stations were saying things like, ‘We are investigating how these rumors got started.’ ‘We are looking into who misinformed us.’
What????
They were the ones reporting it. They were the ones who were telling the families and spreading the news.
This evening I saw a reporter talking to a girl who looked about 8 years old. Her mother had gone home and gotten her up out of bed to welcome their relative home after it was announced they were found alive. The reporter was merciless in her questioning of the little girl.
‘How did you feel when you thought he was alive?’; ‘What were you going to say to him when you saw him?’; ‘What did you feel when you found out he wasn’t alive?’
The reporter was actually asking this little girl these things and the little girl was looking at her bewildered and dazed. The mother stood by her, bewildered and dazed. Neither seemed to be comprehending how the reporter was using them for ‘a story’. They looked in shock and as though they were barely hearing the reporter.
Shameless.
The press seems to be scrambling wildly looking for someone to blame.
I’ve heard it’s the company’s fault, the governor of West Virginia’s fault, the fault of the people who found the bodies and didn’t make their message clear, the fault of the people who received the message and relayed it improperly. I even heard that it was President Bush’s fault - but that’s a given - everything is his fault.
Members of the press corp, maybe once, maybe just once, you should take the log out of your own eye before trying to get the splinter out of everyone else’s eye.
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January 4th, 2006 at 8:09 pm
With the exception of a very few, and I do mean very few, newspaper and TV reporters make me want to puke.
Sorry, but I can’t think of a nicer way to put it.
Sensationalism sells. Waiting for the facts and then just reporting the story isn’t good enough.
A little boy drowns in the river. The local newspaper reports the story, complete with photographs. But a photograph of the ambulance and rescuers at the scene isn’t sufficient. Included on the front page was a photo of the little boy’s shoes, which he took off right at the riverbank before jumping in for a swim with his friends.
The dead little boy’s shoes.
Gotta sell those papers!
Grrrrrrrrr!
Very truly yours,
EB
January 4th, 2006 at 10:23 pm
I was just watching TV and Greta Von what’s-her-name was interviewing the group of miners that was able to get out of the mine — and she kept asking “How do you feel?” “Were you friends with the miners that died?” They looked in shock and never said anything profound. They all knew each other, and they’d just lost their friends and coworkers. But she just kept badgering them. I turned off the TV.
January 5th, 2006 at 8:29 am
I am still in shock over it all..
(beth, ps please contact me privately at nytewind nytewind com)
January 5th, 2006 at 10:06 am
As I have read of this tragedy, the title of one report was
“Joy turns to Grief.” The media…in a rush to report, erred in their judgment Some Say Media Erred in Mine Coverage. But part of the blame is with the three hour delay by management trying to figure out how to control the bad news they were to give.
This made me think of what Jesus said to His apostles with the cross lomming ahead;
I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
John 16:20-22
Yes joy can be robbed…hope can be disappointed and anticipation can be dashed. But Jesus said the disciples greif will turn to joy…disappointment will turn to hope and give was to anticipation of His appearing in the clouds (I Thessalonians 4:13-5:11) when He resurrects fron the dead.
If any of the miners who had died….will be caught up to meet Jesus in the air. The relatives that are saints in Christ Jesus will have their greif today…will be turned from greif to joy when when they meet their loved one in the presence of Jesus.
January 5th, 2006 at 6:40 pm
Beth, some (many) of the media can ask the most stupid, unfeeling questions. I have seen it on the news and have experienced myself after Ray’s death. Unfortunately, at the time, you are in such shock that you are unable to think. When a reporter asked “How do you feel?” I have often thought that it would be great if the person being interviewed said, “I feel great, my child, husband, wife,etc was just killed and I am overjoyed”. Then the tables would be turned and the reporter would have that deer caught in the headlights look!
BTW, St. Jeremiah, your words are very true and well said.
January 5th, 2006 at 11:12 pm
Great Post. The media needs to held accountable.