Friday, April 20, 2007

Will NBC Please Shut Up!

Network executives have no shame. Instead of slinking into silence, those wonderful folks at NBC, MSNBC etc. insult our intelligence once more today with another mealy-mouthed statement:

The pain suffered by the Virginia Tech community and indeed the entire country is immeasurable.

Upon receiving the materials from Cho Seung-Hui, NBC News took careful consideration in determining how the information should be distributed. We did not rush the material onto air, but instead consulted with local authorities, who have since
publicly acknowledged our appropriate handling of the matter. Beginning this morning, we have limited our usage of the video across NBC News, including MSNBC, to no more than 10 percent of our airtime.

Our Standards and Policies chief reviewed all material before it was released. One of our most experienced correspondents, Pete Williams, handled the reporting. We believe it provides some answers to the critical question, "why did this man carry out these awful murders?" The decision to run this video was reached by virtually every news organization in the world, as evidenced by coverage on television, on Web sites and in newspapers. We have covered this story — and our unique role in it — with extreme sensitivity, underscored by our devoted efforts to remember and honor the victims and heroes of this tragic incident. We are committed to nothing less.


Get off it, Mr. Capus. After hiding behind Al Roker et al in firing Imus, you can’t escape this one by shielding yourself with Pete Williams, the Standards and Practices people and "every news organization in the world."

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