Why does the media do what they do?

[Katiecooks]

This morning I have a real need to vent!! Last night there was a lot of tragedy in this area - with tornadoes touching down and wiping out a huge section of Springfield, MA and killing a confirmed four people (all that's known so far) and of course, the media is all over it, trying to interview people who have lost their homes and property - or worse - to get reaction for live feed.
Over the holiday weekend a little 12-year-old girl was caught in a riptide here off Hampton Beach and pulled far out into the ocean and her teenaged brother, who was with her and tried to tow her to safety, couldn't maintain his hold on her and lost her. The boy dove and dove, trying to find his little sister, but couldn't. A boater plucked the boy out of the water and saved his life but they couldn't find the little girl, whose body washed up on the beach the next morning. Tv media and the newspapers sought out the lad and interviewed him extensively the morning the little girl's body washed up which I found to be cruel voyerism at it's worst!! How could they do that to that poor kid? To make him relive the horror he'd just been through - he was completely traumatized, blaming himself for his little sister's loss and the media zoned right in on him like that!! Those vultures will do anything to sell newspapers or garner tv ratings! I find it nearly immoral!! Am I alone in feeling this way? I don't believe so - I heard the same feelings expressed by others several times over the last few hours! It's wrong - it's simply wrong!!
That's the very reason I don't watch tv commentary of disasters.....I can't stand that kind of cruelty!!

 

[ricksrealpitbbq]

Katie, I agree with you wholeheartedly. Sensationalism sells. It's all about shock and tragedy. It really is sickening. At least the police in Mo kept the leeches at bay

YouTube - ‪DON'T COME BACK! Police Threaten CNN Journalist Looking For "Secret Morgue"‬‏

 

[Mama Mangia]

I also blame the parents for allowing the media to do that to him - they should have demanded their privacy and if not - call the police and have them removed.

 

[Katiecooks]

Katie, I agree with you wholeheartedly. Sensationalism sells. It's all about shock and tragedy. It really is sickening. At least the police in Mo kept the leeches at bay

Thanks for including the YouTube segment, Rick - enlightening. My husband and I watched it and agreed 100% with what the police told those vultures!
They weren't even close to a "police state" situation - they weren't denying the existence of the morgue, they simply didn't want it exploited with horrifying video. Their call, altogether!! And they were right! As to the young man who lost his little sister - I don't believe the parents were near him at the time he was cornered by the tv cameraman...they caught the kid on the beach shortly after his sister's body was found and he was entirely too shattered to protect himself from it. The press are really good at that sort of thing - they know exactly when to make their move!