Wretched Excess, Unless It's A Movie, I Guess

Since that fateful day in September, 2001, the television images of the World Trade Towers collapsing have been, for the most part, relegated to television newsroom video vaults.  Why is this, you may ask?  Well, according to this article, the following are some of the reasons why, beyond it supposedly being a “wretched excess.”

"Pundits and naysayers may decry the flood of special news coverage, feature documentaries, town hall meetings, memorials and concerts planned this week to commemorate the worst terrorist attack ever on American soil."

We can’t have the pundits and naysayers decrying now can we.  And this.

"The strategy is, ‘Don’t gorge yourself,’ “ added Fischoff, who recommended most people take a break every 20 minutes or so (the National Mental Health Association has also advised viewers to limit their exposure to 9/11 memorial programming). “People watch something and get upset—thinking if they watch more and get more information, they will get less upset—but the opposite happens."

Or this.

"It’s like a scab—for those of us who were there and so close and immersed—and it’s kinda being scraped away again (by the memorial coverage),” Walter said. “When it happened, it felt like the TV coverage was on all the time . . . this IV drip of information I was on for days. I’m not sure whether Americans want to go back through that."

Here’s Laura Bush on the subject.

"First lady Laura Bush says television networks should show restraint this week when broadcasting images of last year’s terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center because the trauma is still “so raw” for most Americans, particularly children. She also advises parents to shield youngsters from the graphic scenes by either turning off the TV or taking young children out of the room."

Here’s another article which states that ABC’s policy was an outright ban, while NBC’s policy was to show the video of 9/11 "exceedingly sparingly," and CBS’s policy was to limit coverage.

There were many other television news personalities, pundits, nannies and scriveners who “felt” that Americans shouldn’t view the horrific attacks of September 11, and destruction which ensued, too many times because, well, because it could harm our fragile psyches.

No longer is that the case, as NBC hits the streets with the made for teevee movie Homeland Security - The Days That Changed Our World.

I guess a movie about September 11 is okay, rather than actual coverage of September 11, though, since a movie can carry the disclaimer “Based on Actual Events,” even though the majority of it may be made up.

Posted by on 04/11 at 03:32 AM

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