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Originally Posted by lettie
Was it not Lord Reith, the first director general of the BBC, who in about 1926 said that their purpose was to 'inform, entertain and educate.' There are ways of informing and educating without using shock tactics and intruding on people's grief in their darkest hours...
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The sad truth of the matter is that the media in general seem not be able to make the distinction between informing, educating and entertaining any more. The dividing lines are blurred by the race for ratings. I found it shocking that all the main TV channels were publicly appealing for pictures from witnesses from quite early on. The BBC News website features a collection of pictures sent in as a result of this appeal. And of course it all goes to enhance the effect of the murderers actions - spread news of the terror - show everyone just how bad we can make things - Sign up to our limited vision of the world now! Or this could be coming to your town.
The need to report and inform treads a fine line between freedom and unwitting propaganda, it seems, sadly, that this is a line that the media are increasingly blind to.