The pain suffered by the Virginia Tech community and indeed the entire country is immeasurable.
Upon receiving the materials from Cho Seung-Hui, NBC News took careful consideration in determining how the information should be distributed. We did not rush the material onto air, but instead consulted with local authorities, who have since publicly acknowledged our appropriate handling of the matter. Beginning this morning, we have limited our usage of the video across NBC News, including MSNBC, to no more than 10 percent of our airtime.
Our Standards and Policies chief reviewed all material before it was released. One of our most experienced correspondents, Pete Williams, handled the reporting. We believe it provides some answers to the critical question, "why did this man carry out these awful murders?" The decision to run this video was reached by virtually every news organization in the world, as evidenced by coverage on television, on Web sites and in newspapers. We have covered this story — and our unique role in it — with extreme sensitivity, underscored by our devoted efforts to remember and honor the victims and heroes of this tragic incident. We are committed to nothing less.
Several points in this little missive need to be addressed.
1)"We did not rush the material onto air." We'll I guess that depends on your definition of the word rushed. It was mailed 9:00 am Monday and apparently arrived at NBC headquarters on Wednesday morning. NBC then aired segments of the video in time for their six o'clock news. So a few hours at most. No grass grew under their feet.
2) "...but instead consulted with local authorities, who have since publicly acknowledged our appropriate handling of the matter." Yet this from the head of the Virginia State Police...
Virginia State Police Superintendent Steve Flaherty told a news conference at Virginia Tech he was disappointed NBC had decided to air the video.Not exactly a ringing endorsement.
"The victims and their families, the entire university campus and even the international community have certainly been afflicted by these horrific events and this horrific tragedy and this intense media attention," he said. "I am sorry that you were all exposed to these images."
3)"we have limited our usage of the video across NBC News, including MSNBC, to no more than 10 percent of our airtime."
That's a joke, right ?
4) And then that final paragraph. "our unique role," "extreme sensitivity," and "our devoted efforts." Well. They must have thrown out a shoulder patting themselves on the back like that.
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