Media Strive to Cover 9/11 Without Seeming to Exploit a Tragedy

[groovedaddy]

Anniversaries are hard to resist for most media outlets. The stories are evergreen, the advertising potential plentiful.

But in documenting the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, there is a fine line between commemoration and exploitation.

Mindful of this, television networks, magazines and others planning special coverage of the anniversary have weighed issues like how much American audiences can stomach, and how much such a solemn occasion should be viewed as a business opportunity.

There are no uniform answers, and media outlets are approaching it differently. Time magazine is running no ads at all. Newsweek and People have sold ads just as they would for any other issue. Cable channels, which are devoting big blocks of their schedules to Sept. 11-related programming, are also largely running commercials as usual. But there exceptions; CNN, for example, is to show a joint HBO-Time special commercial free. In its regular Sunday edition on Sept. 11, The New York Times is publishing a special section that will contain only commemorative ads.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/05/business/media/media-outlets-walk-fine-line-in-911-anniversary-coverage.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha210

[asjr]

1. From what I observed this morning MSNBC and maybe

CNN are exploiting a tragedy by covering two big liars--Palin and Perry, on the campaign trail. Palin may not be running but she is racking up the bucks without having to pay anything. I am so fed up with the teapots and cowboy boots. But maybe it is a good thing. Maybe the media are trying to inform us as to the stupid antics of these people. I don't know what country I now live in.