|
opinion
Reporting misguided
Recent reports have
indicated that the United States has pinpointed the whereabouts
of Osama bin Laden to within a 20-by-20 square mile radius.
Is this the kind
of information that will help Americans deal with the crisis?
Probably not.
It's the kind of information bin Laden himself enjoys getting.
If you were running from the police wouldn't you want to know
where they thought you were.
Is he still there?
We will never know. He wasn't pinpointed to a specific location,
just an area. The fact is the government may know where he
is, but it doesn't help to let the average Joe American know
where he is.
This information should be classified. The only people who
should know vital details of a mission should be those who
are going to carry out the mission.
The past few days have also brought on a barrage of anthrax
reports by the media.
Although a total of nine people have been affected as of Monday,
it would seem as if many in our nation have come in contact
with anthrax.
There has been no moderation in news reporting for years now.
When will the media get it right and report what people want
and need to hear?
Prior to the attacks our media gave us very little in the
way of international news and most information out of the
networks before Sept.11 was sensational.
I bring this up to point out the inept practices of our journalists
in television. Many in the media like nothing more than reporting
on them and the fact many journalists were part of the anthrax
scare helped keep it in the news longer than it deserved.
Don't get me wrong, anthrax is a major concern. But only nine
people have been affected.
Many in the press lack the kind of character needed to make
sound judgments on what to report.
Never forget, it is always about the money. It's all about
who has the first scoop, or the first interview. If the media
could locate bin Laden -- and CNN has tried -- they would
put him and his nonsense in every home throughout the world.
There have to be higher standards. Leave the vital information
to those who need to know it.
Give each story its due time, but remember, everything in
moderation.
Dwight Flenniken III is a journalism major at Cal State
Long Beach.
|
|
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Search our site
DEPARTMENT
OF
JOURNALISM
ONLINE 49ER
DEPARTMENTS
ADVERTISING
ADMINISTRATION
DAILY
49ER ALUMNI
SUBSCRIPTION
SERVICE
GIVE
FEEDBACK
|
