Did The Media Kill The Wal-Mart Worker?

BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPERS in Long Island, NY crushed a man to death at Wal-Mart as they rushed the store for sale items.

A New York Times columnist now says that the media is partially responsible for the man's death:

"The willingness of people to walk over another human being to get at the right price tag raises the question of how they got that way in the first place," writes David Carr. "But in the search for the usual suspects and parceling of blame, the news media should include themselves."

Carr argues that the media, specifically newspapers, rely upon retailers for ad dollars, so the media overhypes Black Friday sales. Therefore, the media creates mass consumerism, the kind that brought about the death of Jdimytai Damour, a 34-year old seasonal worker.

Do you agree? Does the media have that much influence over people? Are we responsible for the man's death?

Or were the shoppers only interested in the 42-inch LCD HDTVs that were on sale for $598?

"We're Capturing the First Drafts of History."

WHAT DID YOU THINK of our guest, Jim MacMillan?

Here are a few things that stood out for me:

- "Wherever physical casualties occur, there will be psychological injuries," Jim said, quoting from one of his former professors.

- Don't stand under power lines at fires and crash sites.

- Jim stressed that there is a possibility of retraumatizing the audience by replaying video and sound, or by showing images, or through words in print. For instance, this picture could bring back difficult memories for those involved:
Was the image of the crying victims exploitation or good, solid journalism? Is showing images of crime perpetuating violence or helping to eradicate it?

Thoughts?

Did the Media Fall For a PR Stunt?

JON STEPHENSON told us that the images transmitted around the world of the toppling of the Saddam Hussein statue were really a giant public relations stunt.

The event conveniently took place near the hotels where the media were staying. There were loads of American military around (look carefully at the image below ... there are numerous tanks) to ensure the safety of the media so they could cover the event.
What should the media do in this situation? Should they document the event and announce that it felt like a PR stunt? Or do they simply cover the event and trust that the viewers and readers will understand what was going on?

Please pass along your thoughts, as well as any thoughts on John's visit in general.

How Far Will You Go To Get A Story, Part II?

IN CASE YOU ZONED when Barry Levine mentioned the lengths his reporters went to track down John Edwards, this clip explains the event.

Did the reporters go too far in hounding Edwards through the Beverly Hills Hotel, chasing him into a bathroom? Or is that good dogged journalism?

Should Journalists Vote For Baseball Awards?

PHILLIES FIRST BASEMAN Ryan Howard finished second in the voting for National League Most Valuable Player.

The people who voted? Members of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Inquirer sports columnist Phil Sheridan declined to vote because, as he wrote, "It is ethically indefensible for the journalists who cover baseball to vote for official awards that have an impact on players' financial rewards."

Should the people covering the teams decide who gets the awards? Can the journalists remain objective? Aren't they just going to vote for their hometown stars?

How Far Will You Go To Get A Story?

THINK YOU'RE TOO good for tabloid news?

Do you think that the gossip rags exploit our thespians and musicians, invading their privacy for the sole purpose of titillating the Wal-Mart loving masses?

Well, what if they do?

In recent years, the National Enquirer has sold more than a million copies per week AND it has broken major stories that were then picked up by the mainstream press.

For instance, the Enquirer broke the story of former presidential candidate John Edwards having an affair (and baby!) while his wife was ill with cancer.

On Tuesday, Enquirer executive editor Barry Levine, a 1981 TU Journalism grad, will discuss celebrity journalism, the Edwards affair and how far he'll go to get a story.

Should be fun stuff (and lots of potential material for the Issues Facing Journalism paper).

Is Paris Hilton Newsworthy?

WHAT DID YOU THINK of the MSNBC clip that Byron showed you this morning?

Was the anchor wrong in refusing to deliver Paris Hilton news? Isn't it the job of the journalist to provide information that people want?

Or was she correct in refusing? Do you think that journalists should ignore (or downplay) celebrity news (and gossip), especially when there are arguably larger news stories happening?

What would you have done?

(By the way, Barry Levine, the executive editor of the National Enquirer, will speak during our next session, on 11/18).