Posted on 04/20/2007 1:07:19 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Families cancel NBC appearances over gunman video
Thu Apr 19, 10:14 AM ET
Some family members of the victims killed at Virginia Tech university canceled interviews with NBC on Thursday because the television network aired video and photographs of the killer it received in the mail.
Police handling the investigation into the shooting also expressed disappointment at the airing of the images and rants by Cho Seung-Hui, who killed 32 people and then himself in the worst shooting rampage in modern U.S. history.
"We had planned to speak to some family members of victims this morning but they canceled their appearances because they were very upset with NBC for airing the images," said NBC "Today" morning program co-host Meredith Vieira.
Cho, a student from South Korea mailed photographs of himself posing with the guns he bought and video railing against rich kids and debauchery. The package to NBC News was mailed after he killed his first two victims on Monday morning but before he cut down 30 more people in classrooms.
While NBC acknowledged that the material from Cho were likely devastating to the victims' families and that its news division was split over whether to air the material, NBC News President Steve Capus defended the decision to do so, arguing it only showed a small amount of the images they received.
"This is I think as close as we will ever come to being inside of the mind of a killer, and I thought that it needed to be released," he said on MSNBC. "Pretty much every single news organization all around the world has made the same decision, that it was appropriate to release this information."
NBC said it contacted authorities as soon as it received the package on Wednesday.
Steve Flaherty, superintendent of the Virginia State Police, said at a news conference on Thursday investigators appreciated NBC's cooperation.
However, he added, "We're rather disappointed in the editorial decision to broadcast these disturbing images."
Flaherty said the package had turned out to yield little that investigators did not already know.
NBC is owned by General Electric Co.
rotten bastards
NBC was responsible for their release, but every other network, I believe, followed in step.
NBC mail room could be busy. All self-produced video of sickos could be mailed in from all over the country.
Toxic waste is actually the perfect description.
Oh, I see. So if a network only shows a "small amount" of hard-core pornography during Saturday morning cartoons, it's OK??? How the hell did this Steve Capus dude become president of a network news division anyway?
GOOD FOR THE FAMILIES! They sent a message.
And where's that fat weatherman Al Roker on this. Roker took a stand on the Imus story and called for his firing. Where's Roker now? Shouldn't the suits at NBC News resign for turning over editorial control of their cable news network to a mass murderer? If Old Lady Meredith had any decency, she'd walk out after what her network and MSNBC have been doing. But Old Lady Meredith cares about only two things - her ego and her salary.
While NBC acknowledged that the material from Cho were likely devastating to the victims' families and that its news division was split over whether to air the material, NBC News President Steve Capus defended the decision to do so, arguing it only showed a small amount of the images they received.
"This is I think as close as we will ever come to being inside of the mind of a killer, and I thought that it needed to be released," he said on MSNBC. "Pretty much every single news organization all around the world has made the same decision, that it was appropriate to release this information."
I'd like to high-kick him right in the...
The trouble is that NBC had great ratings when they aired the video.
MSNBC has been the worst offender, at times going wall-to-wall with this Cho crap. The pictures. The guns. The rambling statements.
There was one useful comment from Cho when he glares into the camera and says something like, "You have blood on your hands." He must've been talking to NBC News, knowing they'd run this material and inspire future copycats.
The NBC peacock's feathers are all uniformly red with blood today.
Yes, but NBC won't air any of the sickos' videos... that is, until one of the sickos goes on a shooting rampage. Then it's primetime Dateline, baby, and msNBC 24/7. If you're not a sicko and if you're not a murderer, your thoughts and beliefs will not see air on the networks of NBC.
One would think NBC would be more sensitive to events like this after the anthrax incidents. But I guess ratings and cold hard cash matter more than decency and doing the right thing - even when lives are on the line.
Exactly, where is Roker now?
They should resign or be tossed out, will they? nah
NBC was the first to air it, of course, since it was sent to them. But the other television networks, including FoxNews, followed like sheep. Yesterday afternoon FoxNews defended it`s decision to air it. And Hannity defended it also, on Hannity & Colmes.
What if the sicko killer had uttered the words "Nappy Headed Hos"
Would NBC have aired that?
“While NBC acknowledged that the material from Cho were likely devastating to the victims’ families”
So much for the so-called sympathy NBC expressed to the victims families before they aired the video. They knew it would hurt the victims families, like rubbing salt into a wound, but they did it anyway.
Disappointing to hear.
Does Hannity also support Fox News' Anna Nicole coverage, American Idol coverage, Britney Spears coverage, "body language expert" interviews, etc?
Let's face it, the MSM is full of the same sort of people. They even move from network to network all the time. If Hannity is supporting the release of Cho's manifesto materials, Hannity is just another lackluster member of the MSM. Actually, instead of MSM, maybe it should be M$M.
At least in the Unabomber case, publishing his manifesto helped catch the guy and prevent additional killings. Unfortunately, in the Virginia Tech case, networks like NBC, Fox News and the rest of them are only going to encourage MORE killings to happen, NOT FEWER.
It's like a bully telling you he's sorry for your pain as he punches you in the face. Except in this case, the pain is far worse.
The families of those killed should march on NBC's Rockefeller Plaza and demand EQUAL TIME to express their views on what happened. Whatever time Cho gets on NBC and MSNBC, each of the other 32 families ought to get the same!
Where's Sharpton and Jackson, anyway. I hear at least one of the Virginia Tech victims was black, so it's possible the two Reverends might care about this.
Sure, NBC is a moraly responsible network.... B.S.!!!
But showing the GOOD things happening in iraq, the better lives many Iraqi’s now have,... well, NBC couldn’t be bothered with that. it isn’t sensational rating generating stuff, plus it goes against their anti- American, anti-war, and anti- bush agenda.
However, if the viewing public learned any of the alphabets had these tapes and didn’t air them they’d be catching it for witholding info on the the killer. It’s a Catch 22.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.