Campus Massacre

[jbrown84]

Where did we get that he was copycatting some movie?

[PUGalicious]

Where did we get that he was copycatting some movie?

Copycat: Killer Re-Enacted Violent Film

[PUGalicious]

Well this is a first in some respects Pug....Getting your multimedia home movie broadcast 24 hours a day on various channels has to be pretty tempting to some twisted minds out there

Blaming the evening news for encouraging this killer or future "copycat" killers is tantamount to the knee-jerk clarion calls to ban all guns because someone used a gun to kill someone else. It just doesn't fly.

[writerranger]

Well this is a first in some respects Pug....Getting your multimedia home movie broadcast 24 hours a day on various channels has to be pretty tempting to some twisted minds out there

Well, exactly. It's just a whole different deal considering the advances in technology and what one person can do. A crazed individual never had the technical means available to them to send a network a complete multimedia kit. Basically, a post-mortem PR kit - and NBC has bought right into it. I'm sure it looks very appealing to sick minds who not only want to go down as an infamous mass killer, but do it and "spin it" on their own terms - knowing that the networks will broadcast all of their fancy PR material to millions of homes. This NBC decision will one day be taught in journalism school as a watershed decision.

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[PUGalicious]

Well, exactly. It's just a whole different deal considering the advances in technology and what one person can do. A crazed individual never had the technical means available to them to send a network a complete multimedia kit. Basically, a post-mortem PR kit - and NBC has bought right into it. I'm sure it looks very appealing to sick minds who not only want to go down as an infamous mass killer, but do it and "spin it" on their own terms - knowing that the networks will broadcast all of your PR material to millions of homes.

He (the killer) would have gotten wider exposure had he posted it to YouTube. If we're worried about crazies spreading their perversity in a mass medium, you better shut down YouTube.

This NBC decision will one day be taught in journalism school as a watershed decision.

Hardly.

[Easy180]

Youtube wouldn't have aired it Pug

Family members of victims canceled plans to appear on NBC's "Today" show Thursday because they "were very upset" with the network for showing the pictures, "Today" host Meredith Vieira said.

Virginia State Police Col. Steve Flaherty - who praised NBC Wednesday for coming to authorities first with the package - said Thursday he was disappointed with what the network showed.

"I just hate that a lot of people not used to seeing that type of image had to see it," he said.

[writerranger]

Virginia State Police Col. Steve Flaherty - who praised NBC Wednesday for coming to authorities first with the package - said Thursday he was disappointed with what the network showed.

"I just hate that a lot of people not used to seeing that type of image had to see it," he said.

Which goes back to what my colleagues and I were talking about this morning. I posted earlier in this thread that I am baffled as to why it wasn't all impounded as material evidence in an ongoing criminal investigation.

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[PUGalicious]

Youtube wouldn't have aired it Pug

Maybe, maybe not. But I guarantee had he posted it to the Internet, it would be widely distributed and played by now.

"I just hate that a lot of people not used to seeing that type of image had to see it," he said.

I'm still puzzled that all these people are unable to watch anything but NBC and thus be coerced into watching something they didn't want to watch. I mean, come on people! There are hundreds of channels out there. If you don't like what's on one of them, turn the damn channel!

[PUGalicious]

Which goes back to what my colleagues and I were talking about this morning. I posted earlier in this thread that I am baffled as to why it wasn't all impounded as material evidence in an ongoing criminal investigation.

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Why do they need to impound something that NBC willingly turned over to them? They happened to make copies of everything and willingly turned them over to the FBI. How has NBC impeded "an ongoing criminal investigation"?

[Easy180]

It was sent only to NBC so the blame is solely on them imo...Chose money over common decency and sense

Wonder if their sagging network ratings came into play in that conference room?

[PUGalicious]

It was sent only to NBC so the blame is solely on them imo

No argument there...

Chose money over common decency and sense

I disagree... although ratings certainly was a bonus, I do not believe that was the sole motivator for their decision to air it. I truly believe that they found journalistic merit in reporting it as they did. And I agree with their decision.

For the record, I typically do not watch NBC for my news. I happened to be tuned in last night and lucked into seeing the report. I certainly am no shill for NBC because I think their programming has been subpar for a few years now and that accounts for their sagging ratings. However, they tend to run neck-and-neck with ABC for the evening news, both passing each other up depending on the day.

[writerranger]

Why do they need to impound something that NBC willingly turned over to them? They happened to make copies of everything and willingly turned them over to the FBI. How has NBC impeded "an ongoing criminal investigation"?

In a law enforcement sense, "impounding" means they could have accepted the material from NBC and not allowed any dissimentiaon of the materials pending the outcome of the investigation. A judge (usually) would then decide what should, and should not, be released.

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[PUGalicious]

In a law enforcement sense, "impounding" means they could have accepted the material from NBC and not allowed any dissimentiaon of the materials pending the outcome of the investigation. A judge (usually) would then decide what should, and should not, be released.

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There was certainly time for the FBI or law enforcement agencies to seek a court order barring the broadcast of the material since NBC contacted the FBI upon receiving the package. They obviously did not see, at the time, any problem.

[writerranger]

There was certainly time for the FBI or law enforcement agencies to seek a court order barring the broadcast of the material since NBC contacted the FBI upon receiving the package. They obviously did not see, at the time, any problem.

Right - but wrong. NBC did contact the FBI, but were directed to local law enforcement agencies. The FBI has nothing at all to do with investigating this case unless assistance is requested. BTW, the fact they didn't "impound" the evidence, as you just pointed out, is a mystery. It's certainly not standard practice in a crime of this magnitude to allow the evidence to be copied and used at will.

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[PUGalicious]

Be that as it may, law enforcement was contacted and the materials turned over. NBC did the right thing.

[Easy180]

Be that as it may, law enforcement was contacted and the materials turned over. NBC did the right thing.

For their corporation

[PUGalicious]

For their corporation

Perhaps, but I still defend its use journalistically.

Additionally, to writerranger's point, here is a portion of NBC's official statement:

Upon receiving the materials from Cho Seung-Hui, NBC News took careful consideration in determining how the information should be distributed. We did not rush the material onto air, but instead consulted with local authorities, who have since publicly acknowledged our appropriate handling of the matter.

[writerranger]

Be that as it may, law enforcement was contacted and the materials turned over. NBC did the right thing.

It's not a matter of it being the, "right thing." It's the law. If you have material evidence of a crime - you must turn it over or risk charges. No praise due here - they knew what they had to do.

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[PUGalicious]

Did I praise them? I simply said they did the right thing. And based on the above quote from their official statement, they seem to be well within the law.

[writerranger]

Again, Pug, I am blaming the law enforcement agencies and the local DA for allowing NBC to use this material. I know that NBC is trumpeting the fact that they were told they were using the material appropriately. But to many others in law enforcement, it makes no sense - none - and is being criticized.

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[PUGalicious]

I've yet to hear a rational legal argument for not allowing NBC to use this material. Simply citing "ongoing investigation" as a generic reason rings as hollow as when the business administration uses it. How will NBC's use jeopardize the criminal investigation?

[Easy180]

Perhaps, but I still defend its use journalistically.

Additionally, to writerranger's point, here is a portion of NBC's official statement:

They waited a whole 5 or 6 hours before airing it...Wow what careful consideration that was...Couldn't wait to get it out

Airing his rants and soldier pics has about as much journalistic integrity as the coverage of Anna Nicole

[PUGalicious]

Anna Nicole did not massacre 32 people.

[writerranger]

I've yet to hear a rational legal argument for not allowing NBC to use this material. Simply citing "ongoing investigation" as a generic reason rings as hollow as when the business administration uses it. How will NBC's use jeopardize the criminal investigation?

That's the point. Nobody knows until law enforcement has had a chance to pour over it. To allow NBC to copy it all and use it as they please was a crazy decision. As to how it could jeopardize anything? Nobody knows until they've had a chance to examine it all - carefully. NBC took it upon themselves to look at all the fine details and make the decisions as to what to air and what not to air. Sometimes in investigations, there doesn't have to be a legal argument for not allowing the media use of material/physical evidence.

I'll let you have the last word for awhile as I have things to do. We disagree - and that's okay! Have a good day!

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[PUGalicious]

Sometimes in investigations, there doesn't have to be a legal argument for not allowing the media use of material/physical evidence.

Which amounts to prior restraint, which is a principle not often associated with or considered acceptable practinces in democratic societies.