How frequently do you hear something you wish you hadn't? Maybe it was a bit of gossip, maybe some slightly depressing news.... Either way, it was broadcast without so much as a thought about what you wanted to hear.
The same happened on Friday. Many people were caught off guard when they witnessed the horrific video clip of the Georgian luge contestant, Nodar Kumaritashvili, losing control and crashing into a steel pole. Since the video clip surfaced, some networks decided to stop airing the film after their initial airing, while others have made a decision to begin airing it after much consideration. Should news outlets be more critical of footage? What did the network executives base their decision on? Ratings? Demand for the footage? Demand by the shareholders?
There are many of us who have grown up being told to think before we speak and to say something nice or say nothing at all. Where do videos come in that replay death and tragedy? What about beatings? Does the video add to the story or does it just sensationalize the event? How do videos like these help society? At what point do we, the audience, say that we do not want to see things of this nature?
Yes, I believe the media-- whether televised, broadcast, or uploaded-- has a responsibility to the public to share information that is meaningful and that has the potential to impact lives. I believe that the media should make all of the details available to whoever wants to know them. I do not think that these types of video are "news". Death is not news, it is part of life. Playing this young mans last moments over and over does not help society. It does not help his family. It certainly does not help him.
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