Media Intrusion? Comments Encouraged.
I post this only because this used to be my business, and I wonder what you think, what you would do? It is a TV staple. In any crisis, camp out on the family’s doorstep. Except in this case … the wife of Capt. Richard Phillips – the man being held by Somali pirates – is telling the media … “Get Lost!”.
To Fox’s credit, Rick Leventhal says they will comply. But I wonder … should they? My civilian side says, of course. But the media is a different animal. You make the call.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmaFhk0ZgK0
I understand that the media wants the story and in this case, as Neil Cavuto points out, the Somali pirate story has international implications. But I am not sure that includes the wife of the ship’s captain. There is nothing she can tell you, except maybe get her husband in trouble. It’s a quandary.
Comments are welcome … from you civilians.
12 Comments
The website's content and articles were migrated to a new framework in October 2023. You may see [shortcodes in brackets] that do not make any sense. Please ignore that stuff. We may fix it at some point, but we do not have the time now.
You'll also note comments migrated over may have misplaced question marks and missing spaces. All comments were migrated, but trackbacks may not show.
The site is not broken.
Ask and you shall receive. In my opinion, the story is not the emotional turmoil of this family. The story is off the Horn of Africa, the criminal nature of these pirate attacks and what we can expect our governement will do about it. The media seems to feed on the personal tragedies of others. Their fear, pain and emotion is truly personal. I would respect the wishes of this family and any other families requesting privacy during their personal suffering.
There's nothing I can add to Darlene's comment. She nailed it.
I have been on both sides of this difficult issue.
As a newspaper reporter, it was sometimes my uncomfortable task to ask questions that would be considered by some to be a violation of privacy. On the other hand, it angered me two years ago when a death in my family was not covered responsibly but sensationalized by the press.
I believe the media has a legitimate interest to respectfully and responsibly pursue the family angle to this breaking news story. However, as a private citizen, Mrs. Phillips obviously has every right to refuse participation and order reporters off her property.
" don't want to leave the area"- Yeah- the vultures in the media want video of the families faces if the media are lucky enough to have this poor guy's situation get worse.
Any claims of public service on their part is just bull excrement. They want footage of emotional carnage. Just like why they video every Air Force One landing-Can you imagine if a presidents plane crashed and we missed the footage?
These people are leaches at best.
BTW- except you, Jim!…:)
"Other than that, How did you like the play, Mrs. Lincoln?"
"tried to give them their space" Does he realize that he is 20 feet form their house? These guys are vultures.
Anyone else would be trespassing. What makes it ok for the media? They can wait to hear from the authorities and then report on it, they don't have to set up camp at the woman's house and use her bathroom for goodness sake.
Darlene did nail it. No offense, but many in the media have become punch-drunk on power since Watergate. For some reason, they confuse the public's "right to know" with their "right" to itotally invade the public's privacy. Gone are the days of objective reporting and serious research, with confirming sources. Most emotionalize, sensationalize and distort stories for a moment of glory, to be first no matter what the cost or hurt to those they are reporting on.
I wanted to leave this comment somewhere, and this is the only remotely related place: WHY DOESN'T THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY JUST SINK ALL THE BOATS ALONG THE SOMALI COAST???? It can be done from the air. End of problem.
ARR Mate-tee''…..you can't be PC with pirates and the media will sell their mother to pirates to create a story so they can victize someone for their shear pleasure ..then have a poll… and then blame Bush..!
I am bewildered why the MEDIA must make a news story into media frenzy to keep me and others up todate on events…Now I do not mean to sound unconcerened here, of course I am concrened, but I dont the Media to be on the property of the family. And why why is it when there is a car chase on a highway, or a factory fire or a bad accident why does the media ant to make it my business…its not…its not my business…report the facts, show a picture and be done with the story