Media Frenzy!
Yesterday, popular and respected journalist Tim Russert was laid to rest. Russert, the host of NBC's political stage show "Meet the Press," died Friday of a heart attack. He was only 58 years old.
Although I respected Mr. Russert as a journalist, I was not a big fan of his Sunday morning show because the chatter and bicker of politicians, as well as their feigned camaraderie bore me to tears. However, it was when I saw him on Larry King, discussing his book about his father, Big Russ and Me, that I really became a fan. Russert came across as genuine, enthusiastic and jovial. You could feel the love and admiration this man had for his father coming right through your television.
Though I can absolutely see why he was a giant in his field and why he amassed such an envious list of friends and devoted fans and colleagues in his 58 years of life, I felt overwhelmed by the coverage of his funeral and subsequent memorial. I honestly believe that it was completely excessive. Russert was a staple at NBC, but his farewell was covered by every televised news show out there.
Having graduated with a degree in communications and journalism myself, I am usually fraught with the need to defend journalists and the media when they are put down and demonized by the public. I have an unusually high regard for their plight, as well as entirely too much knowledge of the names and faces of the local and national news organizations’ talking heads.
However, yesterday, even I became skeptical and a bit disgusted at just how much power our media yields over every bit of “news” we in America are fed. People die every day. With so much else going on in our nation and the world, did Tim Russert’s passing and farewell merit all of the media attention it garnered? Here he was, Tim Russert, big, loveable guy, the every-man of our TV sets. The one who gave us the political news in layman’s terms with such a thrill in his voice, you couldn’t help but be interested. He died in his prime with so much left yet to accomplish.
More importantly, Tim was one of their own – a journalist. Since they get to choose what is broadcast and how much of it, it makes sense that this farewell fell just short of a full military send-off. It was a live, televised event that I was able to stream on my computer at work. It was a play-by-play of the send-off, with highlights at 11. It was all just so overdone!
Indeed, Russert’s impressive list of friends are names we all know well – Maria Shriver, Tom Brokaw, Barack Obama, John McCain, Bill and Hillary Clinton, NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Bob Dole, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, "Today" show host Matt Lauer and former host Bryant Gumbel all attended. It was a virtual whose who of power from Washington, DC and New York. Even the Boss, Bruce Springsteen, sang via satellite to his former fan.
But how much is too much?
We have had storms and flooding across six of our heartland states this month that have killed and injured people, causing billions in estimated damage. We have witnessed a devastating earthquake in China. We have stood by as the death toll of our military in Iraq surpasses the 4000 mark. We have wars and deaths and murders and missing kids and fuel costs and a real estate crisis and a slowing economy and an extremely important presidential campaign going on. Yet, for hours on Wednesday, June 18, we were submerged in Russert memorial and funeral coverage.
By tomorrow, all of the weekly news magazines will have “extended coverage” of his life, death and, of course, the funeral and memorial. They will depend upon their media sisters and brothers to provide that newsworthy money shot: Hillary Clinton blowing her nose, Newt Gingrich picking his, Bill Clinton tearing up, or ice-cold Condoleezza Rice showing emotion, Matt Lauer scratching his head, or Maria Shriver dozing off – to sell that magazine off the supermarket racks. I wonder what Tim would say about it?
I am disenchanted with the profession I thought I loved so much. I am disillusioned at how they handle things these days. I am disgusted by the lack of newsworthiness displayed in the choices made and by the eagerness to incur more ratings via more sensationalism with total disregard for real journalism.
Merriam-Webster defines journalism as “writing characterized by a direct presentation of facts or description of events without an attempt at interpretation or personal opinion.”
Is that what we had on our televisions and radios yesterday? I doubt it.
Although I respected Mr. Russert as a journalist, I was not a big fan of his Sunday morning show because the chatter and bicker of politicians, as well as their feigned camaraderie bore me to tears. However, it was when I saw him on Larry King, discussing his book about his father, Big Russ and Me, that I really became a fan. Russert came across as genuine, enthusiastic and jovial. You could feel the love and admiration this man had for his father coming right through your television.
Though I can absolutely see why he was a giant in his field and why he amassed such an envious list of friends and devoted fans and colleagues in his 58 years of life, I felt overwhelmed by the coverage of his funeral and subsequent memorial. I honestly believe that it was completely excessive. Russert was a staple at NBC, but his farewell was covered by every televised news show out there.
Having graduated with a degree in communications and journalism myself, I am usually fraught with the need to defend journalists and the media when they are put down and demonized by the public. I have an unusually high regard for their plight, as well as entirely too much knowledge of the names and faces of the local and national news organizations’ talking heads.
However, yesterday, even I became skeptical and a bit disgusted at just how much power our media yields over every bit of “news” we in America are fed. People die every day. With so much else going on in our nation and the world, did Tim Russert’s passing and farewell merit all of the media attention it garnered? Here he was, Tim Russert, big, loveable guy, the every-man of our TV sets. The one who gave us the political news in layman’s terms with such a thrill in his voice, you couldn’t help but be interested. He died in his prime with so much left yet to accomplish.
More importantly, Tim was one of their own – a journalist. Since they get to choose what is broadcast and how much of it, it makes sense that this farewell fell just short of a full military send-off. It was a live, televised event that I was able to stream on my computer at work. It was a play-by-play of the send-off, with highlights at 11. It was all just so overdone!
Indeed, Russert’s impressive list of friends are names we all know well – Maria Shriver, Tom Brokaw, Barack Obama, John McCain, Bill and Hillary Clinton, NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Bob Dole, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, "Today" show host Matt Lauer and former host Bryant Gumbel all attended. It was a virtual whose who of power from Washington, DC and New York. Even the Boss, Bruce Springsteen, sang via satellite to his former fan.
But how much is too much?
We have had storms and flooding across six of our heartland states this month that have killed and injured people, causing billions in estimated damage. We have witnessed a devastating earthquake in China. We have stood by as the death toll of our military in Iraq surpasses the 4000 mark. We have wars and deaths and murders and missing kids and fuel costs and a real estate crisis and a slowing economy and an extremely important presidential campaign going on. Yet, for hours on Wednesday, June 18, we were submerged in Russert memorial and funeral coverage.
By tomorrow, all of the weekly news magazines will have “extended coverage” of his life, death and, of course, the funeral and memorial. They will depend upon their media sisters and brothers to provide that newsworthy money shot: Hillary Clinton blowing her nose, Newt Gingrich picking his, Bill Clinton tearing up, or ice-cold Condoleezza Rice showing emotion, Matt Lauer scratching his head, or Maria Shriver dozing off – to sell that magazine off the supermarket racks. I wonder what Tim would say about it?
I am disenchanted with the profession I thought I loved so much. I am disillusioned at how they handle things these days. I am disgusted by the lack of newsworthiness displayed in the choices made and by the eagerness to incur more ratings via more sensationalism with total disregard for real journalism.
Merriam-Webster defines journalism as “writing characterized by a direct presentation of facts or description of events without an attempt at interpretation or personal opinion.”
Is that what we had on our televisions and radios yesterday? I doubt it.
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