I figured out why I did not remember WKMG, in my youth was known as WDBO.
The fact those, the station change call sign to WKMG in honor of longtimeWashington Post publisher, Katharine M. Graham.
Why, I will get to that later…
With that, out of the way the reason for this post is to address my on going disagreement with how the media covers local news issues.
When does a story become News? Why one story is covered, more than another is. Do commercial and recruitment advertising revenue trump our communities?
The right to know the whole truth, whether the person whom the story is about fits the criteria the media outlets want populated on their websites. Do website revenues mean more to editors and publishers, than mental, physical, or social wellbeing of community, when they claim to be looking out for us, or are they really looking out for Number 1? As in ranking no. 1. I have written more in the past six months, than I did although grade school. I think if I am to learn anything from the news programs, is that the local stations ratings hungry as their big brother affiliates.
The media, while covering the recent suicides/homicide by two central Florida residents chose to air the security video footage. The airing of the video may not fall under any legislative law,but in a cynical attempt to increase ratings, it places them on a slippery slope. The story posted on the TV stations respective websites and in they’re evening broadcast stated what happen, “Res ipsa loquitur”, Adding the video footage was not unnecessary.
So when 26-year-old Jason Kevin McCarthy, was found Monday at the same shooting and practice range in Casselberry, FL., with a gunshot wound to the head.At the time of the story was first aired, the video footage was not released by FDLE. The TV station that originally broke the story, offered, that they would update the website, if the video footage made, would be available. I found this paragraph, in which it addressed the ever-increasing disregard for the victims, their families.
I refer to this – “The privilege of broadcasting carries with it a fiduciary duty (an assumption of trust), and a mandate to act in the public interest. Broadcasters,then, are subject to the same or more stringent limits as private citizens —there is no “extra” protection afforded them. The law on intentional infliction of emotional distress, while vague,involves behavior so outrageous that it “shocks the conscience” therefore does not have a place in a “civilized society.”
Standards have also been created that address “depraved indifference”towards a victim or the “reckless disregard” of another’s well-being.”
[1] Another example is the latest attempt of “on air” trump game, I titled, -“One friend sent the email, the friend who received the email, Subsequently threw the sender of the email under the preverbal bus.WFTV-Channel 9, reported in its noon news on Tuesday that OrlandoMight have its first case of swine flu. The swine-flu information came in an e-mail from Florida Hospital’s chief medical officer,who was addressing another flu strain, when content of Dr. Lauran Hauck’semail taken out of context, posted on twitter.
WFTV’s news director Bob Jordan, posted-“UPDATE: Orlando Swine flu patient is Mexican tourist who visitedWalt Disney World.”
– – And meanwhile, back at the South Street ranch (WFTV Offices),WFTV reporter Kathi Belich said.The patient: a tourist from Mexico who was visiting Disney. “as if repeating misconstrued information again, would make the Story come true. While it took over eight hours for WFTV to update their story on the web, it took only half that time for the competition to offer blame, even though for they themselves followed the twit, twittering into the Internet abyss. and As of this writing, the search found 6, 190 links, sending people to websitesall over the globe.
“The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic”.
[2] May I ask, will TV News stations adhere to the principle of limitation means that some weight needs to be given to the negative consequences of full disclosure? To recognize that gathering and reporting of the news may cause harm or discomfort,to avoid pandering to lurid curiosity. In the pursuit of news story is not a license for arrogance. Katharine M. Graham, daughter of Eugene Meyer, owner of record1933 of The Washington Post Company. WKMG owned and operated by Post-Newsweek Stations, Inc a subsidiary of the WashingtonPost Company. By honoring Ms. Graham, they also have the duty to uphold the honors that were bestowed her, including but not limited to the “Elijah Parish Lovejoy” award.
The award represented Mr. Lovejoy’s dual commitment to both freedom and freedom of the press,his supported the freeing and emancipation of slaves. During his career as a journalist and owner of the Alton Observer,his well known protest against the hanging of a free African-American man,whom at the who was jailed in suspicion of murder. Based on the judge’sinstructivons to the Grand jury, no legal action was taken. At the time of his death, by murder, Mr. Lovejoy had been shot at, chased, and his press was set a fire. Lovejoy considered a martyr, by the abolition movement.
The Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award,given annually by Colby College,Lovejoy’s alma mater honors a member of the newspaper profession who has contributed to the nation’s journalistic achievement…. I do not think Ms. Graham, or Mr. Loyjoy would approve of the format local TV stations have adopted, least of all that of WKMG.
[1] Preston Coleman, PhD
[2] Aikens v. Wisconsin, 195 U.S. 194, 205, 206.
[3] orig. WFTV 19311020 story Id.
[4] Society of Professional Journalists, SPJ Code of Ethics
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