I know everything news-related that anyone is thinking and saying and writing today is probably about VA Tech. I don't have anything particularly original or insightful to say about the tragedy itself, other than how bad I feel for everyone involved (I know what you are thinking: that is neither original nor insightful. Oh well.). But I do have a complaint about local coverage.
Most of the afternoon, I watched MSNBC's coverage and listened to NPR's, both of which were clear and full of facts, as news should be. But for some reason I flipped to Fox 9 news at 5 or 6 (I don't remember what time), and I was appalled by the way they were overdramatizing the situation. Maybe overdramatizing is the wrong word. What I mean is, the situation is so dramatic in nature that the fact that they were seemingly trying to jazz it up and sensationalize it was offensive. And I don't easily get offended.
The three main things I noticed in the, what, 45 seconds I waited before flipping back to MSNBC were:
1. video footage of the VA Tech campus shot in black and white
2. The cameras were shaking and doing crazy close-ups, a la Blair Witch
3. The story was introduced by a guy using a voice that was identical to the guy who does the voiceovers for horror movie trailers
Isn't the story horrific enough on it's own? Can they ever just report information and facts without trying to out-do everyone else? It's pretty sickening. For shame, Fox 9 news.
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