What's a story worth?

On-line Forty-Niner

May 6,1998

Last week, the citizens of Los Angeles were the witnesses of a suicide on the Harbor Freeway. A man set fire to his truck, killing his dog, and then the man shot himself. Apparently he had a problem with HMOs.

 

After the tragedy, the television media where quick to apologize for broadcasting the gruesome event.

 

If one is going to videotape a car chase, which often proves hazardous to the participants, and if one is going to sit like a zombie in front of the boob tube while the events play themselves out, then one should be prepared to stomach the possible blood and guts that may fly across the screen.

 

Journalists have a responsibility to report the news.

 

Filming car chases is popular among many TV stations in Los Angeles because viewers are glued to their television sets each time one comes on.

 

Most chases seem to end rather quietly. The suspect's car runs out of gas or is damaged and cannot carry its occupant any farther.

 

The suspect then becomes a sprinter and attempts to flee the authorities, but the long arm of the law quickly catches up.

 

It is hard to tell one car chase from another.

 

Sometimes there will be an interesting element added which will help in making the distinctions.

 

The most popular car chase before this one was the man who fled to Mexico with his young son.

 

The media had no moral problem filming the Mexican police jumping the desperate father as he ran across the border.

 

It is all about ratings which is all about money.

 

The television cameras are rolling because what is being filmed is interesting and will bring in the big ratings and money.

 

If getting ratings is important and stations feel that filming scenes like car chases is worth the moral or ethical price, then fine, go for it.

 

But please do not apologize for it after the fact as though it was some unexpected fluke.

 

The moral dilemmas should be solved before the fact, not after.

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