Media Watch

[Keith]

Can anyone tell me please, how two (admittedly tragic) accidents, has managed to dominate 100% of the British Media this past weekend for 24 hours daily?

Glasgow Helicopter Crash

New York Train Crash

The amount of intrusion was appalling and worse, the 'canonisation' of 'heroes' who went to assist.

The drama politicians also staged-managed (with not a little help from Sky News) reached new heights of bad taste..

To a local MP: "Sir, is that blood on your shirt? Yes it is, but it's not mine"

Alex Salmond: "This is a tragic day for Glasgow and Scotland, but it shows, that united together, Scotland can be strong in the face of adversity."

Electioneering over the recently dead and interviews with relatives waiting for news, all handled with a degree of sensitivity that would not been out of place in an abattoir.

Nothing specific to say about the New York train crash but it seemed to occupy equal billing with the Scottish helo crash. Why?

Finally,an eye witness to the Police Helicopter, seemingly blessed with the skills of an Air Incident Investigator (scripted?) said quite matter-of-factly, "well, the engines made that kind of, you know, running out of fuel sound!"

No, actually, I don't know, and I'm quite happy to wait for the experts thank you.

I hate the media.

 

[Larry L.]

Can anyone tell me please, how two (admittedly tragic) accidents, has managed to dominate 100% of the British Media this past weekend for 24 hours daily?

Glasgow Helicopter Crash

New York Train Crash

'No big mystery. 'Morbid voyeurism on the part of the public on the one hand combined with the profit motive of the media on the other. The public gets to callously 'rubber neck' real-time anywhere 'round the world - and the media make a few bucks by providing them the opportunity.

(Perhaps nowhere is the "electioneering" during one of these situations more callus or opportunistic than here in the States when some LOON goes off the deep end with a gun. 'Doesn't take 2 nanoseconds before some slimy, shameless, self-serving politician gets in front of the nearest T.V. camera and starts screaming for more gun laws/gun 'control'.)

 

[David Morton]

It has to be said that the UK now thrives on public grief and political mileage there from.. Whilst in Scotland I witnessed a Dan Air 748 ploughing off the runway and into the sea at Sumburgh (I think 18 died).We lost a Shackleton from Lossiemouth (12)
We lost a Nimrod in Kandahar (14) but none of those accidents caused the wailing and Mae Coupa that we are seeing this week. It seem trendy to call in at the local garage and buy a bunch of Daisies or what ever to lay them along a pavement that really doesn't mean anything to anyone.
There are bigger questions to be answered anyway. Who authorised this helicopter flight? Are the crew self authorising ? (They shouldn't be)
Who funds these flights that seem to catch 18 year olds on stolen motorcycles or clapped out bangers with a bit of weed in there underpants and when brought to court they only get 120 hours community service? My wife calls them customers as she is a local Magistrate.
Where does the money come from for these flights ? I think I know. Its from you and me paying through the nose with fines for 3 mph over the speed limit. I think all the money from parking and speeding should fund Cats Claw Stingers at strategic points and the police helicopters should remain on standby ON THE GROUND. We have them from the Reading branch hovering over this area tracking youngsters who want to be on a show. TRULY. Its a bravado thing amongst the TWOCKERS to get their latest theft (car or bike) on TV with the Police Camera Action show. We had powerful searchlights and up to 90 minutes stationary hovering after midnight about 3 weeks ago. That must have cost more than the Citroen Saxa they eventually recovered wrecked. Its become a total load of bollocks IMHO

 

[Terry Oxandale]

... 'Doesn't take 2 nanoseconds before some slimy, shameless, self-serving politician gets in front of the nearest T.V. camera and starts screaming for more gun laws/gun 'control'.)

Or

'Doesn't take 2 nanoseconds before some slimy, shameless, self-serving politician gets in front of the nearest T.V. camera and starts screaming for more guns to mitigate these risks.

So somebody is going to take advantage of the misfortune to push an agenda, if not everybody.

 

[Keith]

Some good points David, however, I reckon they'll all be replaced with drones soon and the fun WILL begin. But you are totally correct in that everyone wants to be a media star these days and never mind how tasteless the vehicle.

For me, it started with the mass hysteria surrounding Ms Spencer's funeral.

 

[Terry Oxandale]

The watching evening news used to be one of my most enjoyable daily activities, but now I shake my head through half of it wondering where the real news is.

This all seems to trend in the same direction that social media success is based on, and that is "look at me". The actions or event (petting the cat, eating lunch, a leaf falling from a tree, etc) are now events in "my" life I want to share and emphasize to all those who can observe it. So as the pendulum of "everybody gets a trophy" is moving toward the peak of the swing, perhaps we individually are getting incrementally less and less secure, and this media problem you observe is just a sad reflection on us.

 

[Keith]

You nailed it Terry. It is a global problem.

 

[Mark]

I stopped buying and reading newspapers, years ago. Time to ban myself from watching the tv news and listening to the radio.

 

[Keith]

Good call Mark, I truly think we can get a better, more accurate and unbiased news service from right here in the Paddock. :blank:

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Agreed Keith the paddock rules. I like Mark have stopped buying news papers.
Once they reported the news (what a concept) now it is opinion distortion and propaganda.