Sandy Hook Shooting: Media Exploit Children

The news coverage yesterday of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School was an absolute mess.

Media outlets obviously didn't confirm information before sharing it.

As usual, we witnessed the media feeding frenzy that always follows crimes such as this one.

The TV packaging of these awful incidents makes me cringe.

Do you remember when news stories were reported without music added for dramatic effect? Do we really need a soundtrack to heighten the impact of the slaughter?

It's become so predictable. The exploitation is a disgrace.

Some of the stories about how to talk to children about the shooting were embarrassing. If parents need to look to an "expert" on TV to instruct them not to be too graphic when discussing the topic with their young children, then we have a serious parenting problem in the country.

Then, we have the matter of the media showing images of very young children and interviewing them.

My question: Where were the parents? Why would parents permit their kids to be interviewed on camera?

Some parents were making the rounds of the news outlets. Very unseemly. Fifteen minutes of fame at the expense of murdered children?

Of course, the cameras are there to cover the candlelight vigils. Show the audience faces of grief. Give us some more dramatic images. Can't get enough.

Don't forget the music. There must be music, because the nation is coming together to mourn. The news anchors tells us we're mourning. They guide us through our grief.

Yuck.

I don't like the way the media handle this stuff.

The reality is a 20-year-old man murdered little ones in their school. He killed adults. Dozens are dead. It's positively horrific.

I do want the facts of the crime, but not the media circus. I don't want sloppy reporting. I don't want the exploitation.

I don't want the spectacle of young children telling their stories of what they witnessed. I don't want to hear the parents of the children saying the obvious. I don't want to hear news anchors trying to be profound. Spare me the performance.

And I especially don't want to hear that lame musical accompaniment.

I believe the media circus and its packaging of the event encourages people to respond to the unspeakable evil inappropriately. The potential is there for it to be consumed as a twisted form of entertainment.