War Coverage: Gratuitous or Necessary?

[frogboy4]

In this very serious time of war, it depresses me that the network news treats this development like a theme park ride. There was a graphic counting down to war like Bush was going to cue the bombs right at that moment. I see it all as very tacky. ABC canceled its Monday night lineup just to have Peter Jennings theorize about the war for three hours. Is that necessary? I can understand carpeted CNN coverage, but the networks are treating the war like a media event to score ratings. Just wanted to see some opinions on this.

This thread is not about supporting or protesting the war. There's another thread about that. I just want to know what you think about the coverage. Your views on how it's being handled or how it could be improved.

Should the Oscars be scaled down Sunday night? Is the Academy being respectful or making a spectacle of it? Personally, I think we should try to live our lives as normally as possible, but not ignore what’s going on. Turning on CBS and seeing an hour of prerecorded tape of tanks circling in the desert or the same dark shots of air missiles is pointless. I certainly don’t think they should frame coverage around CSI Miami. That’s idiotic, but I don’t see why it has to permeate every waking second of air time. Maybe I just see too much about the war when I leave my house that I feel I only escape coverage in my sleep. I’ll tell you this, buy stock in Blockbuster Video.

 

[EmmyMik]

One of the main things that upset me is how they were treating this like the freaking Super Bowl.

"Countdown to Iraq"

"It's like a coin toss."

I half expected Terry Bradshaw to pop up and talk about how the US is on offense and defense as well as Iraq.

I mean, don't these people realize that this is a WAR? People WILL die. They're not going to being taken out in the third quarter.

It makes me sick.

(and thus I have ended my rant)

 

[radionate]

My biggest beef right now is that I've not really been around a TV set much. I'm not much of a TV watcher anymore, and my schedule doesn't really allow me the time to sit and veg.

When I've been home and tried to get caught up on whats been happening, I've been real disappointed. All the network coverage seems to be taking every last detail and reporting on it.

I've yet to see a nice comprehensive update on all the events that have happened so far.

Of course, I've been around them so much (and worked for them), that I don't have much use for TV journalists anymore.

 

[Luke]

LOL - it's gratuitous in a way amd in other ways it's not. On the one hand this is history and people will want to see it, on the other hand yes the media treats it like the superbowl because obviously televised war is a relatively new 'toy' to them and the editors want to play with it. It is essential in some ways though - the military is more than aware the enemy is watching it too and so they can use it as a vehicle to demoralize the enemy, put across propoganda and also mislead them as to whats really going on - so it's actually an essential part of the war now.

The public may well feel it's really gratuitous but with all the technology we now have it's the way things are going to be done, and if the technology wasn't being used people would ask why it wasn't and complain.

 

[Joggy]

Yesterday I read the weirdest article in the newspaper... Thanks of the war, some Dutch movie has a better chance for an Oscar award.

Yeah, okay. So there's all these people dieing. But thankfully they die for at least ONE good reason: an Oscar for the Dutch! Everyone cheer!

 

[Luke]

I think they should cancel the Oscars, the whole point is that it's a big event with glitz and glamour - making it sombre and cutting the glitz makes it look like we are letting these things affect us. They should say they'll do it bigger and better later in honor of all the liberated people In Iraq or something. Anyway who the heck are people like Will Smith and Martin Sheen to be making political statements about wars - actors are pretty much just the puppets of directors and producers, most of the time they're out of their head anyway !

 

[frogboy4]

I think canceling the Oscars and scaling it down like they are it a terrible idea. Yes, it should have a more somber tone, but the entertainment industry is one of America's greatest natural resources and it should be allowed to thrive. The power of film is even more important in wartime.

It has been reported that presenters are required not to speak out on the war, but winners can use their time however they choose. I think that's fair because they've earned those 45 seconds. It's their right if they want to turn their years of work into a political statement.

The question really is, would people be interested in watching Oscar coverage and red carpet entrances? Heck yeah. Also, the ceremony drums up business at the box office. I don't see why shooting ourselves in the foot financially out of a misguided sense of conservatism would benefit anyone. I agree it shouldn't be flashy, but it should go on and they should at least go through some of the standard motions.

 

[Luke]

To me either they might as well do it or don't. Making it sombre just puts more focus on the war and less on the films, and gives every two bit actor or actress a change to get the attention they didn't get on the way in by making some (probably pre-written by someone with more brains) statement about the war rather than what they are there to talk about. Actually i think it's sombre most years anyway - i usually fall asleep, especially when they have Whoopi on !

All this debate is great promotion for them though isn't it ? I smell good viewing figures !

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I say both.

We should know what's going on, but I don't think 3 hours worth of "This just in, all is quiet--no, new developments are that the plans are the same at this very moment as when we reported them to you 5 minutes ago."

I also think the media asks stupid questions and might as well say, "Hey, can you tell us what the plans are to let the foes know our every move?"

Nah, I don't think it's as necessary to stay on 24/7 as they're doing. Just like 9/11 and anything else that happens, the media is on a hype of sensationalism because that's what sells.

Personally, I've been watching muppets dvd's and Peanuts!!

We now return you to your regularly scheduled program...

 

[frogboy4]

I'm glad I just got my last 5 TMS DVDs yesterday. LOL!