...it's not dark yet, but it's gettin' there...
This morning, I tried to find CNN's replay of their 9/11 coverage, but it wasn't on tv. I did find NBC's replay, which was broadcast on MSNBC. What I saw bothered me a lot, and I waited all day to post something about it.
Now that I'm home, I was able to view the CNN coverage from that day, thanks to Hot Air. I was able to compare CNN's excellent coverage to NBC's, or I should say, contrast. I've often been critical of CNN, but all I can say is I do miss Aaron Brown.
Kiki Couric and Tom Brokaw were incredibly bad by any standard, and I can't understand why. Somewhere, somehow, the two of them got the idea that good journalism means completely divorcing yourself from all human feeling. Or, perhaps, that the "citizens of the world" ideal that today's elite media have fetishized required them to abandon any sense of horror in order not to offend those viewers who might have been happy about the deaths of thousands.
Or perhaps the two of them thought that by remaining scrupulously objective, they might win some sort of award or peer recognition for their level-headedness. Instead, Couric and Brokaw came off as more wooden than Mr. Spock. Or Al Gore. I don't know what made them think that emotionlessness was required on that day, of all days. The most memorable newscasts during tragic events have always included the broadcaster's personal reactions — and yes emotions — while simultaneously reporting the news. Think Walter Cronkite and JFK, Frank Reynolds and Reagan, or to go way back, Herb Morrison and the Hindenburg.
Amazingly, as I watched the South Tower collapse, Kiki and Tom said nothing. It was as if they didn't see it. But how could that be? It was their job to see it. Then, as Manhattan disappeared behind a thick wall of smoke they continued to act as if nothing had happened. I waited and waited, but they made no mention of the incredible scene unfolding before their very eyes. In fact, it wasn't until eight long minutes later that another correspondent said the first thing about the tower collapsing!
Which brings up an interesting point. Michael Moore made a career out of criticizing Bush's "seven long minutes." But here were two experienced and celebrated journalists, who's job it was to report what was happening, and they completely failed to mention the biggest thing either of them had ever witnessed or would ever witness in their entire careers. Eight long minutes they sat there repeating banalities while lower Manhattan was entirely engulfed in smoke and neither of them said a word about it.
Here's a clip of when the other correspondent stated the obvious for the very first time, "When you look at it the building has collapsed. That building just came down." Listen to what Kiki says at the very end. Instead of reacting to this horrific and unimaginable event, she immediately cuts the reporter off and goes to "Bob Bazell who's at St. Vincent's Hospital..." Infreakincredible.
Which is why Aaron Brown's coverage stands out. When the South Tower began to fall, he interrupted another remote immediately. He then described what we all watched, as it happened, with words like "extraordinarily frightening," which is exactly what it was.
It's a disgrace that Aaron Brown is now teaching at ASU, while Kiki Couric is making $15 million a year.
Katie Couric is a news reader. Nothing more and nothing less. Words flow from the teleprompter to her eyes and then to her mouth. There are no intermediate stops during that trip.
Jake, you left out matronly and surgically enhanced. And while we're at it. Her husband died of nut-cancer. I'm just sayin'. She may be a carrier.
Posted by: Casca on Sep. 11, 2006I scrupulously avoided all 9-11 coverage today; didn't want to go through it again.
That having been said, an argument can be made that when something horrific happens, and you know the TV cameras are covering it, there's no point in saying anything.
If Couric and Brokaw had shut their mouths, that would have been understandable. However, it sounds like they kept on talking about other stuff.
Wasn't this the time that Brokaw was spending every waking hour covering every moment of every soldier who fought in World War II? Did he refer to the hijackers as "Huns" during the 9-11 broadcast?
Posted by: Ontario Emperor on Sep. 11, 2006I didn't become a habitual Fox News viewer until a couple months after 9/11.
CNN soon reverted back to their deadpan "citizens of the world" coverage of the War on Terror. It seemed like Fox News was the only place where the reporters genuinely emoted their disgust for our enemies and rooted for the "good guys" in our military.
Plus, it helped that Fox & Friends had all of those Mancow segments.
Posted by: reagan80 on Sep. 12, 2006When I see her I just really want to spit on my TV screen.
Posted by: Blu on Sep. 12, 2006I've watched her for a few segments on a few different days (none of the 9-11 stuff however) and agree with Jake. Garbage in garbage out and 15 million into her account. What a great thing capitalism and the free markets are. The best always rising to the top! It’s uncanny.
Posted by: Strawman on Sep. 12, 2006We'll see if capitalism is functioning correctly if she is still sitting in that chair a year from now if her ratings continue to plummet. Now that she is there, however, they have to deal with the political backlash if she is "reassigned." The femi-nazis will cry bloody fucking murder if she is let go and replaced by a man - God forbid a White Man. It's more than just economics at work here....unfortunately.
I'll bet if the State chose the Anchormen/Anchorwomen that the cream would really rise to the top! Then we wouldn't have to worry about stupid, ol'Katie Couric...
Straw, thanks for always being good for a chuckle. You really are the gift that just keeps on giving. Site wouldn't be the same without you.
Posted by: Blu on Sep. 12, 2006Well,
You have to understand Aaron is paid to actually MAKE a contribution to society.
Stik
Posted by: stiknstein on Sep. 12, 2006Blu,
I saw you spit post and thought this might be the solution to your distance from Kikki:
Blu, only spitting? (I wrote) I should send you a Nippon video clip I saw where the news reader, a classic long necked Japanese beauty, hair in a bun, business suit with pearls and collared pastel blouse, nice Armani frames, sits stoically reading the international news when in no particular order, members of the crew, audience, and control room staff stroll down across the stage and nonchalantly ejaculate on her face then go back to their seats or boom mic or camera while she continues reading without raising a hand to protest, wipe or wave. Quite the broadcast!
I never tire of the incredibly sick psychosexual disorders of modern Japanese culture.
You Blu could get a pal more versed in video doctoring than you probably are, to insert Ms. Couric's punim in the clip and save your precious bodily fluids from going to waste. Or, maybe CBS will, when Kikki’s ratings are in free fall like W's, offer up a similarly based reality show and you can send in a resume. PBF be damned! Or maybe the White house will for W. Could be fun.
I watched that rerun too, and I was surprised too. I remember hearing how, on 9/11 all media coverage was raw and punctuated by "oh god"s, but that's not what we got on MSNBC. They almost seemed to sound like they'd seen it all before. "Oh look, a building is falling down. Now back to you, Chuck." I didn't get to see the TV coverage five years ago, so when I watched it yesterday, it wasn't quite as *powerful* as I expected it to be. Well, I mean MSNBC wasn't. It was powerful enough if you just tuned them out.
Posted by: Sarah on Sep. 13, 2006Tuning out MSNBC is always a good idea.
Posted by: Blu on Sep. 13, 2006