Tonight, there's been a crawl on the bottom of my TV for about two hours hyping 10/11's coverage of the Omaha mall shooting. They have one bit of information - that the shooter left a note saying he would "go out in style." His mug and the same info. top CNN right now.
Just a second...yup, the crawl is still going.
Not the names of the dead. Not any information about whether this shooter had other plans or other friends with guns. Not reaction from officials. Just a nugget, saying he planned this. No shit.
Clear, concise conflict is the hallmark of TV journalism - hell, journalism. There must be good, there must be bad and if there's a chance for actual policy change or nudity, you've got yourself a ratings winner. Here, you've got bad (the shooter) and the good (you). It's rare you can put such a large number of people in one category.
But I hate this stage of this story right now for the tragic implications, obviously, but also because this little asshole couldn't have served up a better story to the media unless he's done it while screwing Paris Hilton. He didn't just kill people, he killed shoppers. Christmas shoppers. There will be no discussion of mental illness or the many reasons this jerk couldn't have just gone and not taken others with him. It will be about the mall, about every salacious detail of this twisted kid's life, of the mourning, because we all learn so much by watching other people cry on camera.
The stories haven't aired yet and I could write what's going to be on my TV in about 10 minutes. No compassion but fake compassion ("tell me about the victim"). No small detail too menial to talk about. No grandiose statement about this incident too over the top. "Nebraska mourns tonight." "...disturbed young man." "...as they were Christmas shopping."
Wait for it.
(goes to watch the news)
Yep.
By the way, Matt, I'm really glad you're OK.
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