Tragedies take back seat
The news media are often faced with a dilemma when two or more big stories compete for attention. Yesterday, for example, as the real impact of Hurricane Katrina came to light, the tragedy only just being comprehended, around 1000 Iraqis were killed in a bizarre stampede caused by rumour. Which is the bigger story? Which is more deserving of being the lead news item? BBC Five Live had no doubt during their hour long lunchtime news. Michael Owen signing for Newcastle United! They took it live, eventually getting around to the breaking Iraqi news after the footballer and chairman had run out of platitudes and the assembled media had exhausted their inane questions at the press conference.
Ask any Geordie and he would have no doubt of the merit of this lead story. In fact, there was nearly a stampede in Newcastle as fans tripped over themselves to get a glimpse of Owen in a Newcastle shirt. Blighty has a lot of time for Newcastle, and its people, but a bit more decorum wouldn’t go amiss. Maybe a trophy would calm things a little. The last time they won anything the players shorts reached below their knees.
No doubt if they do ever win a trophy it will be big enough to consign news of the 50 mile wide asteroid heading towards earth to the ‘news in brief’ slot.
Posted: September 1st, 2005 under Commentary.
Comments: 17
Comments
Comment from Richard Smith
Time: September 1, 2005, 12:51 pm
You dont know Ben Kennard do you? He sounds just like your blog!!
Comment from Marlowe
Time: September 1, 2005, 1:44 pm
I don’t know of him. Is he any good? :-/
Comment from EKENYERENGOZI MICHAEL CHIMA
Time: September 1, 2005, 3:59 pm
Ignorance kills.
When, the terrorists attacked London, the whole world sympathized with them.
I poured out my heart in compassion for the sake of London and the Guardian even published one of my poems on the horrors of the London bombings.
What is a soccer contract worth compared to thousands of people killed in the terrible stampede in Iraq and the scores killed in the catastrophic hurricane Katrina in New Orleans?
No wonder Tony Blair is still moping while Hugo Chavez of Venezuela has already gone ahead to offer Aid to comfort the bereaved survivors of the horrific Katrina.
Comment from Marlowe
Time: September 1, 2005, 9:13 pm
The British media generally have given the two tragedies this week the coverage they deserve. This was just Five Live making a terrible misjudgement. It is a news and sports station, and sometimes sport, usually football, seems to be elevated to a ridiculously high status. Their coverage of this signing before it happened, and since, has been silly.
Comment from weenie
Time: September 2, 2005, 4:49 pm
In the words of Bill Shankly, legendary manager of Liverpool FC, football isn’t a matter of life and death, it’s more important…
Sadly, the media are only showing what the public want to see and football to some, is more important than a load of people on the other side of the world dying due to natural disaster.
Comment from hibiscus anne
Time: September 5, 2005, 4:53 pm
New Orleans is 200 miles west of where I live. Luckily, all we’re dealing with is gas/petrol shortage, which I’m not complaining about, because there is so much tragedy just west of where I live.
I want to add that a lot of people are suffering and have died in Mississippi too, but that’s not getting as much notice as New Orleans. (I guess because NOLA is more world renown)
Prayers and good thoughts (and some spare change to the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army–both very good organizations) would be very much appreciated.
Thank you, friends.
Anne in Florida
Comment from Marlowe
Time: September 5, 2005, 10:06 pm
Hi Weenie, Shankly was no philosopher was he 
Hope things improve Anne, it’s all bad news at the moment. And that’s not going to change when they start draining the area. The situation is bizarre, like a Stephen King novel.
Comment from hibiscus anne
Time: September 5, 2005, 10:47 pm
I’ll tell you this, Marlowe, whoever this BBC reporter, Matt (I cannot remember his surname), he is full of c**p. (especially re: the noodle spined, incompetent mayor of NOLA being “heroic”. Guffaw!) He also needs to read up on state vs federal powers before he spews the kind of **** he wrote on the BBC website.
But, I digress. After all, what do I know? I’ve only lived on the Gulf Coast, USA all of my life…
/rant off.
Comment from Marlowe
Time: September 6, 2005, 12:06 pm
The media coverage outside the US differs from that of Fox News I bet.
Comment from hibiscus anne
Time: September 6, 2005, 4:16 pm
Here’s some more
http://content.gannettonline.com/gns/hurricane/top_news.html#no1
Comment from hibiscus anne
Time: September 7, 2005, 5:55 pm
And notice I’m taking the high road, and will ignore that sarcastic remark. (I watch CNN mostly)
BTW, read the bbc website. More accurate report.
Comment from Marlowe
Time: September 9, 2005, 4:30 pm
Hi Anne, my comment wasn’t meant personally. I had just read a page of snippets from the world’s media response to the hurricane and the images it has produced. And a Channel 4 news reporter based in the US made a comment about the US media not giving voice to the criticisms that Channel 4 had been airing.
Comment from ash
Time: November 3, 2005, 4:43 pm
i think whoever it was that posted links 2 free lezbian sites is sik and twisted how about fuck off 4 a starterd! and as for newcastle why dont u try and learn sumfin about football b4 u tart gobbin off, yea they havnt been doin that over the years but we have alan shearer who is stil the top goal scorer and will shortly and most probably be over tkaing jackie milburns record! i think that you can all go suk my cok!
Comment from jonathan walker
Time: November 6, 2005, 9:54 pm
alls a wanna say is im a newcastle fan and i no they wernt doin so gd but they have improved so fuck off
Comment from Blighty
Time: November 7, 2005, 1:03 pm
I’m not sure if I should allow comments from children on here. I might have to make it a rule that your parents have to give you permission in future.
Comment from Ben Cooper
Time: November 25, 2005, 8:23 pm
Who’s this Ben Kennard, I think I may know him?
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