Agreed.
You know what's even more hokey that I hate? When the media sets up troops on camera with their wives and kids on another camera and say "anything you'd like to say to your honey?" And they proceed to have these very awkward conversations because the whole world is watching. I hate it.
If they wanted to be the good guy, the media should provide the technology and connection and let them talk off air. "Sgt Tom, as a surprise, we have your wife and family here in the studio, we're going to move on to something else and let you and your family talk in private". I'd respect the media enormously for that. This contrived voyeuristic exploitive stuff just makes me embarrassed for all of them.