Is it sacrilegious to confess an early case of Boston Marathon bombing story fatigue?
Don't get me wrong--it's a huge story and rightly deserves all the post-mortem and newest development-status it will report but at what point does this all get too much to watch and listen.
It's been a week since the story evolved. From the end of the Boston Marathon when the very first bomb went off to Friday night's dramatic conclusion when the second brother was cornered and eventually apprehended in a boat in the backyard of a suburban Boston city. Surreal. And a weekend's worth of predictions, analysis, and why did they do this rants.
We will no doubt now go into a phase of legal and ethical questions. Why did they not Mirandize the second guy? As Jeffrey Toobin of CNN noted the government has an open-and-shut case. You'd have to think someone screwed up here, details to follow.
*Prediction: The Bay-to-Breakers running zoo in May will no doubt have a ton of pre-race security stories by the locals but I'm also betting, like everything else, way too many reports will ensue. It's a legitimate angle, don't get me wrong, especially in lieu of Boston, but the over-hype will render it useless.
*Telling that several local stations used the feeds from cable and over-the-air networks to compliment it's own coverage. I'm still weary of why a local station would send a reporter to begin with. What does a local reporter add?
*Follow me on Twitter and listen to me Monday-Friday from 1-4 PM on KSCO-KOMY
A local reporter adds the first interview with Aaron Hern and his family from Martinez. Local news doesn't always happen IN the Bay Area.
ReplyDeleteTalk about the pot calling the kettle black!
ReplyDeleteRich runs this story into the ground and then complains about excessive coverage.
Rich, get a mirror!
Amen. Same old dribble. They run the story into the ground 24/7 and then act ”guilty” if they feel story ”fatigue”. How about that for a show topic Rich?
DeleteThere's different aspects of "fatigue." Of course I'm talking it (today I have a guest, Michael Cardoza, who will talk the legal angle); I was referring to the onslaught of TV/Radio old news that has been shown us ad nauseum.
DeleteI think the fatigue stems from the fact that even when nothing new has developed the news outlets keep rehashing the same old stuff. It is a big story but they act like nothing else is up in the world. Suddenly Iran, Syria and North Korea are no longer in the news cycle. Maybe that's a good thing, the drums to war were stopped even if momentarily.
DeleteGood point, 10:52. This has been mentioned about Rich before. It sounds, from him, the "easy" thing to do in talking about this and not letting it die, than moving on. He sounds like a radio division of CNN repeating everything just about CNN!
DeleteWhy not mentioning coverage from the local stations, Fox and MSNBC, too? At least that's what professionals and experienced broadcasters would do.
Finally, Rich's first call today is being talked all over by Rich. That shows insecurity and lack of knowledge. Rich needs to get people on and off and whether he wants to talk over the caller or not -- just get rid of the caller. Rich doesn't have to show his own standing because it doesn't matter. Rich doesn't have anything to bring to the table.
Talking over people makes no sense. Short and to the point -- then give an opinion -- then get on with the next point. Then, introduce new topics, not mimic CNN and by name at that, after you've criticized them so much.
Let him go. Let him walk away into the public life,he has rights...and watch the wolves tear him apart. Like what he deserves.
ReplyDeleteYou are right Rich. Now, we are already starting to see people talking about today being the "anniversary" of the date of the bombing. Great. Now we have another "anniversary" date to remember. I also get tired of the talk about the bombing. But what really gets me, is what happens afterwards. I will give an example of what happened since Newtown. Remember the Super Bowl? Remember the Grammy's? What happened with both? In both cases, people who "survived" the shootings at Newtown, got to attend both events. What happened just days ago? Why, several parents and others related to victims of Newtown, got to ride on AIRFORCE ONE, along with the President, back to DC to help lobby for gun control. I mean, they got to RIDE ON AIRFORCE ONE, for goodness sake! Who gets to do that? All of these people got incredible freebies because someone they knew DIED! And yet, they act like they are somber and whatever. PLEASE! Those people are milking it like there is no tomorrow. So yeah Rich, I too get tired of all the talk about Boston, and speaking of that, what in the heck does Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" have to do with Boston and bombing? And yet, his leading the people in singing that is all over the news. I just don't get it...
ReplyDeleteI'd like to point out that Bostonians, and Red Sox fans, adopted the song Sweet Caroline, as it was written about Caroline Kennedy. It's a nice song, and it brings the city together. The fact that cities and sports teams all around the country, including at Yankee Stadium, sang the song in support of Boston brings tears to my eyes. If Sweet Caroline is something you find the need to complain about, I say you need to open your eyes and find something else.
DeleteRich is not Jeffrey Tubin, that's for sure. He shouldn't be putting his "knowledge" before facts. He has no clue.
DeleteJohn King was wrong -- so was Fox, the AP and the New York Times, too. It's easier to blame CNN because that's what Rich was monitoring, that simple.
I do hope Rich doesn't try to play "expert" here or he, too, will be caught up in being criticized himself, again.
What's going on in Canada, Rich? What's going on in North Korea? Is there a cause to the firebomb that destroyed West, Texas Rich? You should do more on these topics than you are. That is all part of today's news.
Actually, according to an interview Neil Diamond gave at the 2011 Kennedy Center Honors, the song was written about his wife Marcia Murphey. The name he used in the song was inspired by Caroline Kennedy after seeing a photo of her in a magazine.
DeleteRich, this is more of a developing news story than a talk show topic. The rant phase is winding down (for now), but the news developments surrounding the brothers is rapid and relevant. Where did they train? Did they have help? Why did they do it? Will the younger brother spill the beans? Will there really be a Russian/Caucuses connection? These are HUGE and unanswered questions. I know your more a talk shoe guy, but this is a NEWS story that is rightly being investigated on multiple fronts.
ReplyDeleteFrom this point on, the story can start to make some sense. With the Suspect#1 killed and suspect#2 in custody (and assuming they had no other accomplices) , the press can finally report on actual facts, the reasons and methods, rather then dwell on the panic and sensationalism.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious how the FBI will handle the heat when pressed for details on how they let suspect#1 pass a 2011 investigation after a heads up from the ruskies. I bet they wish it was a purely homegrown operation without the international travel to muddy their reputation. Can't blame the Bush administration, try as they might.
What happened to the North Korea story? Suddenly it doesn't matter? Let's book Bastida a flight...
BTW-Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia won...you heard it here first!
"9:07" spot on. "9:00" is clearly not a sports fan (or much of a news consumer). Google "Sweet Caroline" and "Red Sox". Knowledge, check into it. And why can't anyone use their real names? You're all a bunch of Nancys.
ReplyDeleteTo not publicize like you Mr. Anonymoust more insults and name calling from Rich, maybe? Why is that so important? It's not. Callers don't identify themselves and neither do 90 perscent of posters here. Why? Because by law, they don't have to.
DeleteAnd "by law", I don't have to publish your mush too.
DeleteTrue. Censorship, however, makes you out to be a hypocrital schmuck. Talk about mush. You deliver it by the barrels.
DeleteGood comments about Karel!
FYI - "9:38" is me, Kevin Tripp.
ReplyDeleteRich
ReplyDeleteAs tragic as the bombing is. It's time to motor on to the next thing. I'm in bombing overload! What's going on with North Korea?
Uh, looks as if they retreated. Maybe they got antsy and reality checked in.
DeleteLike everyone else, I was glued to the TV on Friday. But like you, Rich, I got sick of the regurgitation of the same facts and images over and over.
ReplyDeleteThere were some important local stories going on, such as the cop who ran over two pedestrians in Hayward Friday morning and then hit a parked car. He killed one person and the other was sent to the hospital. Insidebayarea reports that the police arrested the victim who who hospitalized for "being drunk." It appears to me that this HUGE story got nicely buried. The public should be outraged and asking questions!
Why the legal ID at 2 pm from MZ saying "KOMY, Selva Beach, KMPH, Modesto". What's that all about?
ReplyDeleteI have no clue.
DeleteSame ID at 3pm as well. Interesting. KMPH 840 has been off the air for two year and its' sister, KTRB 860 was moved from Modesto to San Francisco. The ID clearly said "KMPH Modesto." Maybe Pappas is doing a simulcast for a day or two to covr the license. He's done it before. Maybe Rich could ask Dave or MZ. 840 is 5000 watts and has a tremendous signal that gets to Santa Cruz. Did MZ buy it?
ReplyDeleteRich, your interview of Michael Cardoza today was your best yet. You let the man speak, you asked good questions and you avoided trying to be funny. I was hanging by a thread to your show last week but you reeled me in for a bit longer. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteI had a very difficult time discussing this story this past weekend. Didn't really want to do it, but did. Felt I had to. Yeah, it's not going a way for a variety of reasons. My problem with this story is talk radio trying to pretend they have information on it, or that their perspective is unique/informed. I tried to avoid that too because after all, what the hell do we really know? What we're being told? Half of it was wrong. Then it was right, then people spoke about that. It's absurd.
ReplyDeleteMy talk issues this weekend were more general, about what to expect going forward. In a week or so, when more becomes clear, I'd rather discuss it then. - DW
>> Is it sacrilegious to confess an early case of Boston Marathon bombing story fatigue?
ReplyDeleteThe answer is a resounding "YES!"
If you are the media observer that you claim to be, you must by now know that the MSM almost always gets the initial facts wrong. Just go back to a few weeks ago with Sandy Hook to see how they got wrong the father's death, which son it was, and many other things.
So, to claim "fatigue" after the mis-information is put out there, but before the true facts emerge, is sloppy, lazy, and maybe agenda-driven ideology.
Why is it that we tolerate the nonsense that is put out as "breaking news" in the first 24 hours, but then turn away once the real facts start to emerge and become uncomfortable to our agendas? Could there possibly be a plan here to overwhelm the public with false information, and then claim "move on" once the truth starts to emerge?
It would take a dogged media observer to see past the initial "fatigue" and stick with it to see how the story unfolds. I guess that you aren't that observer.
Responsible, non-sensational (like Hannity's BS) and considerate, David. Also gave the audience -- theories and all -- to talk, while not fanning the flames of speculation too much. Good job. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of David Weintraub -- maybe a spot created for him in late night at KGO now that "Crime Lady" Candice DeLong has pulled up stakes and departed the station on her own?
ReplyDeleteKarel sounded "gleeful" in announcing this Saturday, having dodged a bullet again.
Why oh why or why oh why? He must have pictures on somebody at Cumulus.
Here's an idea. Kill your t.v. Stop watching the Operation Mockingbirds (google it) shilling for the man and towing the company line.
ReplyDeleteMr. Tripp on here is correct. Would like to thank him for recognizing there are A LOT of unanswered questions.
to wit: News today is the FBI dropped the ball on the older brother visiting Chechnya because THEY MISSPELLED HIS NAME. lol. If you believe that, I guess you'll believe everything the lying liars in the press and government are telling you about this event.
remember: FBI has a big PR problem here. They've been caught lying red-handed. The asked the public to help with identifying the subjects, saying "surely someone out there recognizes them" and then, lo and behold, THE FBI HAD TO ADMIT THEY WERE UNDER SURVEILLANCE for years.
I'm sorry. something really smells...the FBI may be liars, but they're not that incompetent, negligent, or incapable of doing their job. They are covering up something. Think people...why else would they let this guy back into the country when they deemed him dangerous?
because his name was misspelled. These guys are caught in a huge lie, I'm supposed to believe them now? lol.
wake up, folks.
Oh, see you've been discerning to Glen Beck.lol.
DeleteNice Monday morning quarterbacking.
DeleteThere's 300+ million people in the US to keep track of, plus all the legal and illegal entries, plus the foreign bad guys on the international radar. With all that on their plate, one guy slips through the cracks and suddenly the FBI is a pack of stinkin' liars. Oh brother.
We live in an imperfect world, filled with imperfect people....and if that weren't true, people wouldn't buy insurance.
^^exactly^^ - dw
Deletesheep...
Deletethey misspelled the name of the older brother who they interviewed and surveilled, deemed him a leader and dangerous, yet misspel..wait, fat finger? his name prior to his Russian trip?
just the FBI's dumb luck this guy becomes the first terrorist since 911 to follow through eh?
you guys are a laugh...
Why don't you and your cognitive dissonance check out ex-FBI translator Sibel Edmonds recent interview where she suspects the boys were recruited by the FBI as double agents.
makes more sense then the incompetence their fessing up to these days. Can't imagine all the FBI field guys are that happy about all the forced admissions and retractions. For those that can't speak to the shenanigans, Sibel Edmonds can. and does. bigger sack than most of you boys.
Just to keep things fair 8:05, I think you should stop by your local FBI office and let them in on the fact that your super human intelligence and clarity of thought has uncovered their nefarious efforts. Let those bastards know what they're up against!
DeleteHer name is Sibel Edmonds.
DeleteShe's a former FBI translator from Iran who started a whistleblower coalition after she accused a colleague of various shady dealings just before 911. Why don't you check out her latest interview out there and make up your own mind.
btw,
the DHS threw the FBI under the bus today saying they knew of the older brother's trip to Russia.
Not to mention the other fresh news today that the Russians had contacted the FBI 'multiple times' about Tam Tsarnaev and his visit the same U.S. State Department sponsored Chechyans we sometimes call 'freedom fighters'.
But go ahead, believe the misspelling b.s. I take no pleasure in these developments as its evident there is inter and intra agency tensions and though this is nothing new, these bombings have rapidly raised the stakes to where these closed meetings in D.C. has lots of feds scrambling for cover.
I feel the idea that the airwaves belong to the public is often lost, and on Friday night I had this feeling I didn't want to talk about Boston for all the reasons mentioned here, and many more. Yet it's my job to do so, and an obligation to at least open up a forum.
ReplyDeleteI often make the comment, "I don't need a topic to do talk radio", and then sometimes you have these massive topics, which can almost make it harder to even do. Because I, and others, have to "entertain", but am I really trying to "entertain" people when there's death being strewn across the TV?
So...I thought the best thing to do was just ask people how they were feeling. How they felt when they first heard about it, and what they think will come of this going forward. It seemed fair. I took the mantle of being moderator, as much as I could, as opposed to being partisan host.
I have my beliefs. I have my thoughts as to who is to blame in all of this if you want to get down to the nitty gritty, but after hearing all the other hosts for a week, and it being the weekend, I felt it was time to hear hear what the public thought. - DW
P.S. As for Candace, I have no knowledge about any of that stuff. They call me, I work.
DW (whoever that is),
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you thought it was a good idea to include the biggest story this year on your Friday broadcast while the story was breaking and the entire world was watching one of the most spectacular manhunts in years unfold before our eyes. I'm not being a smartass - I am glad you stayed with the story. Here's the thing that many talk show hosts don't get: Sometimes breaking news is better radio than talk. As many of you know, I'm a veteran radio reporter and producer. When a story like Friday's manhunt happens on your watch YOU GO TO LIVE COVERAGE. Your ratings will spike if you do. That's why CNN does live coverage of breaking news: their ratings go through the roof. Granted, the blew it last week in a rush to "be first". Even if you don't have access to a network feed to use for live coverage (no ABC News Radio or CBS News Radio anchored coverage), you can always do "play-by-play" on your own. Monitor the TV, Internet and AP wire and give your listeners constant updates. It's not rocket science; it's radio. I've been there, done that and watched my PPM ratings spike by the minute.
Great story, bro. I was on Saturday.
Delete