A Disgraceful Day For The National News Media

[Lord Jim]

They really showed their asses about what they truly consider to be important; themselves:

CNN MIA, local TV tries to step up as Freddie Gray protests turn ugly

After a week of cable and network news providing most of the best TV coverage of protests in Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray, the national outlets were mainly missing in action tonight when things got ugly.

For all the praise I heaped on CNN earlier in the week for its journalistically sound coverage of the protests here, the channel has my utter contempt for its commitment to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner tonight. It focused its cameras on this self-aggrandizing exercise in black-tie narcissism while just 55 miles down the road civil unrest led to smashed car and store windows, convenience store looting and vandalism, and more than three hours of face-to-face confrontations between police and protesters that led to gridlock on the streets of downtown Baltimore.

Fans were kept from leaving Camden Yards during the Orioles game because police did not yet have adequate control of the streets around the park. That sounds like news to me, how about you?

Or, is it only news if it’s Nationals Park? I wonder if Washington journalists and editors know how disconnected they are from the real America?

I guess the so-called 24/7 “news” channels don’t go all out to do real news on weekend nights any more. Did I miss that memo?

I expected nothing of MSNBC with its commitment to exploitative prison reality programming on the weekends. But for CNN to set up shop here the way it did all week and then provide next to nothing when the real trouble starts is unforgivable.

Oh, the people on CNN’s empty-headed, Hollywood-style, studio show dedicated to talking about the White House Correspondents’ Dinner made note of what wasn’t being covered in Baltimore, but they then excused it. In the best style of Hollywood spin, they reminded us of the scholarships the dinner provides. As if that justified their self-absorption and the channel’s lack of attention to a serious moment of civil unrest right down the street.

http://www.capitalgazette.com/bal-cnn-m ... 6668.story

As I read in another article, the cable news stations will cut away from their regular programming for lengthy coverage of a car chase or a guy hanging from a construction crane...

But 40,000 people being kept on lock-down in a ball park in a major American city because of civil unrest isn't worth a five minute cutaway?

Not if it means missing the chance to broadcast a gushing reporter having their picture taken with George Clooney, it doesn't...

[Big RR]

Jim--from what I saw on the network news reports, the stories about fans being kept in Camden Yards after the game may, or may not for that matter, be exaggerated. Clearly some gates were closed and the fans were asked to remain for a while to allow for an orderly exit, but some fans I saw interviewed said the gates were never closed and an number just chose to leave. My guess is that the front gates of the alleyway leading to Pratt street was closed and people were let out through the rear part of the stadium (toward the Ravens Stadium) to get toward Eutaw Street and the light rail which many use to come to the game. not exactly nothing (but hardly the "fans were kept from leaving" the post points to--or the fans being kept on lockdown you mention). yes, it could be to keep the fans safe, but if could also be to keep the protesters from disappearing into the mob leaving the stadium.
Not that it's not news---it definitely is (and I personally couldn't care less about the correspondent's dinner). but the confrontation and damage done was enough without having to sensationalize it further.

[Joe Guy]

I don't see anything wrong with what CNN did. They covered something other than the riots for a while. Apparently the riots are all they are covering currently. I think the riots are usually covered too much. I'd bet a percentage of those people wouldn't hang around at all if there wasn't news coverage.

Besides, if anyone wanted to watch the riots while the White House dinner was going on, they had plenty of options - including Youtube.

[Lord Jim]

I'd bet a percentage of those people wouldn't hang around at all if there wasn't news coverage.

I don't think that people who are looting, burning and throwing rocks and bottles are doing so because they want to see themselves on television....

However, in a situation like what is unfolding at the moment, I'm sure that television coverage plays a role, (and social media as well) in that it shows the predators exactly where police control has broken down, so they know where to go to loot and burn with impunity....

[Joe Guy]

I'd bet a percentage of those people wouldn't hang around at all if there wasn't news coverage.

I don't think that people who are looting, burning and throwing rocks and bottles are doing so because they want to see themselves on television....

I think the media coverage is what keeps the protestors and rioters going. They want to be seen. I'd bet there are even a few stupid looters that want to be on TV.

[BoSoxGal]

I don't have TV but I was assuming the major coverage this weekend would have been the earthquake in Nepal?

[Crackpot]

First I heard of it was a Facebook post by a friend in Pakistan.
.

[Lord Jim]

I don't have TV but I was assuming the major coverage this weekend would have been the earthquake in Nepal?

That didn't happen till Sunday...

I think the media coverage is what keeps the protestors and rioters going.

I agree that protestors want media coverage, and that is entirely legitimate and appropriate. One of the primary purposes of public protest is to bring public attention to your grievance, and in the modern era television coverage is certainly an important way to do that.

I disagree that rioters or looters (except for a handful of the very dumbest) want their faces seen on TV.

Yesterday's rioting and looting in Baltimore was unusual in that it started during the daylight hours; the usual pattern is that this kind of Visigothism doesn't begin till after dark. (And in the case of Baltimore yesterday, it got much worse after dark.)

On top of this, many of the participants go out of the way to mask their faces. (with ski masks or bandanas)

If most rioters and looters wanted have their faces splashed on TV, you'd expect the bulk of this criminality to take place in broad daylight conducted by people smiling and waving at the cameras...That's not what happens.

People who riot riot because they want to destroy things and raise hell. People who loot loot because they want to take things without paying for them. They want to do these things and get away with them without suffering any penalty, not become TV stars.

There are many to condemn for what happened yesterday, from the incompetent deer-in-the-headlights mayor, to the criminals who carried out their criminal deeds. But there were also some people very deserving of praise:

Christian Ministers, Black Muslim Ministers, other community leaders and ordinary citizens who joined together and risked their own safety by confronting the thugs unarmed on the streets to try to protect local businesses and get the criminals to disperse.

One 30 year military vet and local resident, a former Master Sargent named Robert Valentine, crossed police lines to face down one group of toughs alone.

And my personal favorite hero from yesterday; the mother who took matters into her own hands (literally):





If there had been more parents like her around yesterday, a lot of the mayhem and destruction could probably have been avoided.

[wesw]

yeah, the nation of islam pretended to keep the peace while secretly encouraging the violence. pleading loudly for people to calm down while whispering "throw a brick"

the new black panthers, nation of islam and Christians like al Sharpton are allying with the crips and bloods and the black gorilla gang to foment violent revolution. isis cheers.

the kids that started the riots were manipulated and played like fools by these people

yes, there is a serious police violence problem. granted. the whole nation has seen it.

I believe our union is threatened. where is our president? is he part of the problem? does he care about this nation or is he on a higher mission?

[MajGenl.Meade]

He's too busy employing people to take cracks at whitey. Very statesmanlike and not at all the same as a white president having someone spew about n... n... n... nobody special.

[wesw]

I wonder if allowing open borders has anything to do with black un employment...

[wesw]

hey! there s the pres. he s talking about Okinawa!

[Guinevere]

yeah, the nation of islam pretended to keep the peace while secretly encouraging the violence. pleading loudly for people to calm down while whispering "throw a brick"

the new black panthers, nation of islam and Christians like al Sharpton are allying with the crips and bloods and the black gorilla gang to foment violent revolution. isis cheers.

the kids that started the riots were manipulated and played like fools by these people

yes, there is a serious police violence problem. granted. the whole nation has seen it.

I believe our union is threatened. where is our president? is he part of the problem? does he care about this nation or is he on a higher mission?

And there are monsters under your bed and bogeymen in your closet.

Great article about what's going on in Baltimore and why: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/won ... ?tid=sm_fb

[Lord Jim]

yeah, the nation of islam pretended to keep the peace while secretly encouraging the violence. pleading loudly for people to calm down while whispering "throw a brick"

the new black panthers, nation of islam and Christians like al Sharpton are allying with the crips and bloods and the black gorilla gang to foment violent revolution.

Wes, do you have any evidence at all for any of that?

Lord knows I ain't no fan of The Nation of Islam, but I am a believer in the principle of "credit where credit is due", and I know what I heard with my own ears and saw with my own eyes...

As for Sharpton, I think I've made very clear what a loathsome creature I find him to be, (and though he has condemned the violence, I didn't see him risking his butt out there last night) but accusing him and the others of actually conspiring with the gangs to conduct rioting and looting is a very serious accusation that I suspect you have zero to back up.

[Guinevere]

Of course he doesn't. Let's blame the bogeymen so we can ignore the real issues.

[wesw]

ah well, I m expressing my personal belief. I stand by what I said. I have been oddly prescient about such things many times. I am cursed with the ability to see thru bullshit to the heart of matters. I just ken it. but, what do I know?

I did see the nation of islam and people wearing gang colors on the frontlines. I saw them pretend to try to calm people and I would bet that they instigated the social media memes that instigated the riots. they are playing the young black people like a fiddle.

almost everyone of my generation holds doctor king to be a hero, I know I do. that promissory note set us all free. my ancestors were freed after our revolution . it took longer to free the black people, but it was our constitution and declaration that made their freedom inevitable. doctor king saw that and fought for our nation. the good fight. this is something different.

this is not the dream.

[Joe Guy]

Is the mother in that video really a hero or is she an example of the type of parent that teaches her children violence in public is a way to express yourself?

[wesw]

she is a hero.

[wesw]

good question tho wes, er, joe.....

[Guinevere]

Both. But unfortunately I think the lesson learned is that violence is ok if it's "right" and we know that is not true.