A media critique... and then some! 9/26/01 - Wednesday THURSDAY Letters are UP  Links to Recent Issues 09-24-01 Monday's OTR 09-19-01 Wednesday's OTR 09-21-01 Friday's OTR OTR can use your help to keep publishing. If you like it, feel free to send ten dollars to Ron Fineman PO Box 42364 Bakersfield, CA 93384    OR you can send $ electronically by clicking on the PayPal logo   My sincerest thanks to all of you who have contributed so far.   Your help is very  much appreciated! Send your opinions to BRUIN74@aol.com.

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FUMES AND TERRORISM

Late Wednesday afternoon, some sort of fumes were causing passengers on an LA subway to feel dizzy.  There was also some eye and throat irritation. One OTR reader tells me one station actually said the subway train was  a "possible" target of a "terrorist attack." If true, that strikes me as the height of irresponsibility, given what we just went through two weeks ago.  "Terrorist attack" is not a phrase to be used haphazardly, even if you throw in the "possible" qualifier. 

But, the tougher question is, what sort of reference, if any, should reporters make while telling what would be a routine story in other times.  My concern is to avoid any panic among viewers. In John Gregory's report on KABC, he made reference to concerns about terrorism, while of course making it clear that it still wasn't known what was going on. On the other hand, during Patrick Healy's first live report on KNBC, I didn't hear him make any such terrorism reference. But, when he was finished, anchor Chuck Henry brought it up, though Healy was unable to hear Henry's question.  While interviewing fire department spokesman Brian Humphrey over the phone, KCBS anchor Jonathan Elias approached the subject carefully, alluding to the possibility of terrorism without saying the word, and in the way his question was phrased, suggesting that there didn't appear to be any such evidence.

So do you avoid talking about, what you know many people are thinking about? I think you can make good arguments for either side. I like the idea of just giving the facts, and not bringing up "terrorism" as long as there is no evidence of any.  Yet, I can appreciate that certainly fire and law enforcement had to wonder about that when they first responded, and some viewers no doubt were thinking the same thing. Though if no reporter mentions terrorism, then certainly the viewer is bound to think the incident is caused by something else, which is a good idea, if there is no evidence to the contrary. Just sitting at home, my first thought was pepper spray, which has caused problems in public places before.  At some point, the decision was made by authorities to close all of the subway stations.  Once you have that fact, I suppose it only make sense to say it is precautionary, in light of recent events. At that point, it's hard to avoid. Anyway, by the time the six o'clock news was over, it was clear that whatever the fumes were, they had not caused anyone any serious damage.  I don't think this one is black and white, like so many other issues we deal with here. As a viewer or a journalist, I'd be interested in your thoughts.

RACIST WAR?

Last weekend, KCBS reporter Mark Mottern was covering an anti-war demonstration. During the story, we heard a chant in which one man said "we don't want a racist war." Racist? I wondered exactly how is going after the people who murdered  more than six thousand people racist? The man saying the chant was interviewed by Mottern, but that little accusation was never mentioned.  It should've been. Granted, sometimes cries of racism, like patriotism, can be the last refuse of a scoundrel. Saying it doesn't make it so. The reporter should've either addressed the issue with the accuser, or not included the chant. 

EXAGGERATION DOESN'T TAKE A HOLIDAY

When stories like September 11th come along, I like to thing sensationalism can be left behind. After all, you don't need to add anything to make it a compelling story. Ah, but when it came to a 911 call for the Pentagon crash, someone at KCOP just couldn't resist. Before playing a recording of the call, along with the voices a dispatcher and a police officer, anchor Rick Chambers said "the terrifying calls for help caught on tape." But what we heard was a very calm 911 caller. No one on the tape sounded terrified. Granted, it was a terrifying event. But as is often the case in local TV, the adjective just didn't match this story.

FEELING WHAT I'VE BEEN WATCHING

After a little more than week in New York, LA Firefighters came back home last Friday night. It was really the first time I've felt first-hand the sort of patriotism which I've been seeing on the news, and hearing people talk about. There must've been a couple hundred family members there to greet the 66 members of the Urban Search and Rescue Team.  Many of them brought roses. When the firefighters finally arrived and got out of their busses, the crowd cheered. The first firefighter off the bus came out carrying a large American Flag. There was hugging and kissing as if they were soldiers coming back from the war.  I was next to one firefighter who along with his wife and son, was crying. He and his wife couldn't seem to stop hugging. I interviewed another one who started to choke up when he talked about New York Firefighters. He said they were his heroes.  

From a distance this must sound somewhat overblown.  After all, they are firefighters, not soldiers. And they were gone for less than two weeks. But the feelings of love of family, duty as firefighters, and love of country were quite strong. Of course all of them were disappointed that they didn't find survivors. But through the tears and cheers, there was the sense of having done the right thing for the right reasons. At a moment's notice, they got on a plane across the country to a scene which one of the firefighters told me was the worst thing he'd ever seen. Another one, who had also worked in Northridge during the earthquake, told me he could not use find the words to paint the picture of what he saw. It was unexplainable.  

There was of course no talk of LA/New York rivalry. Leave that to the restaurant critics or the sports writers.  It was reinforcement of what I already knew...that we are on the same side. In time of crisis, we come together. Americans coming to the aid of those who need it, and the folks back home in LA  saying "we appreciate what you went to do, and we're relieved that you're back safely. Welcome home."

 LET'S NOT GO OVERBOARD

From everything I've seen New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has been a very good public leader during this tough time. I don't know what sort of specific decisions that he's made as mayor during all of this, but certainly everyone seems to feel he's been the right man to speak for and lead New York. However, the talk I've heard about turning back New York term limits just for Giuliani, sounds like a bad idea. Do New Yorkers really feel than none of the candidates could also project a calm but strong public demeanor in all of this? Can none of them handle whatever new issues may now face New York? 

There is a reason they have term limits, and clinging to one leader in a difficult time just doesn't seem like a good reason to change a law. It sounds like something that some people find to be a good idea during a very emotional time, but years later, others would look back and question it.  If our country's democratic political system is as good as we always say it is, there should be no problem in an orderly transition.  And if New York were to let this attack disrupt the legal political process, I imagine that would be giving the terrorists a small victory they hadn't even considered. 

OOPS

Sometimes reading the wrong word, doesn't make a big difference. Other times it can sure change the meaning. Last week,  KCAL's Mia Lee was reading that quote from Jerry Falwell about all those groups that helped make the terrorist attacks possible. What Lee should've said was "People for the American Way," a well known liberal group. But instead she said "People for the United Way." Obviously, that sounds pretty close to the famous charity. Wonder if she pre-read that copy?

A VIDEO WORTH RENTING

Every now and then I rent a video which I want to let you know about, just in case you missed it. You can just put this under the "...and then some" category at the top of the page. Anyway, the movie I just watched last weekend is called "Memento."  It's a mystery unlike any I've ever seen, involving a man with no short term memory. I'm no movie critic...not even a wanna be. But this movie was so original and cleverly done, I just wanted to spread the word about it. 

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

In case you missed it Monday, I've been out of town for a couple days...which is why this issue is so late. I spent some time in Morro Bay, which was a very nice place to get away. Love that beach weather when it is so hot so many other places. I haven't caught much local news lately, so I'll let this issue go as it is. 

BROADCASTEZE VIOLATION OF THE WEEK

Who: Lynette Romero

Where:  KTLA

What: massive "blaze"

Put your hand on the monitor and count to three...one, two three...heal!!

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OTR IS PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY   Letters to the editor are updated Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Ron's disclaimer: Like all reporters I have opinions.  I do the best I can to make sure that nothing I say here has any effect on my objectivity in covering stories.