You just changed the subject. Planned evil acts? In this case the evil act was done and the perp dead. But no, I am not saying that NBC "should" have done it or "should not have" done it. They are a news organization, and their job is to publish the news. This was news, they published it. It doesn't bother me one way or the other. It is interesting to me, however, that so many people who claim they shouldn't have shown it seem to have watched it.
It would have been news to tell viewers that such a package had been received and IMMEDIATELY turned over to the FBI.
The great thing about media is that you can copy it, so you can show it AND turn it over to the fbi. It is not an either/or.
Should NBC become a partner with Al Jazeera, for instance? Just where would you draw the line between 'news' and 'publicity.'
No. Al jazeera is engaged in ongoing criminal activities. If all al qaeada were killed somehow (i know that can't happen) then I would have no problem with someone showing a tape of Bin Laden's last words.