I meant that in the long run, I do not believe he will feel exploited, even when in retrospect he considers the event.
There was a quid pro quo here. Yes, he helped boost Today's ratings. On the other hand, he was given a priceless platform to make his points and advance his cause. And considering the circumstances, I would say Lauer handled the situation with dignity and respect.
Look, the very purpose of my Today show threads is to criticize the show's pervasive liberal bias. But by the same token, I try to be fair, and I believe this morning's segment represented valid TV journalism.
Try to put yourself in the son's place. Imagine, God forbid, that you had suffered the loss of a family member and believed government or private sector officials were to blame. Wouldn't you consider going on TV to make your point, knowing that the public exposure would greatly increase the pressure on the officials to make the reforms, etc. that you were seeking?
I can't recall hearing anything about mine safety since the last big mining accident. Now, old media is here to save the day. After the fact.