No PR for a killer

CBC News has decided not to broadcast pictures, video or audio from the package which the Virginia Tech killer sent to NBC:

"At the CBC, we debated the issue throughout the evening and made the decision that we would not broadcast any video or audio of this bizarre collection.

On CBC Television, Radio and CBC.ca, we would report the essence of what the killer was saying, but not do what he so clearly hoped all media would do. To decide otherwise — in our view — would be to risk copycat killings.*

I had this awful and sad feeling that there were parents watching these excerpts on NBC who were unaware they will lose their children in some future copycat killing triggered by these broadcasts.

Tony Burman
Editor-in-Chief, CBC News"

The reaction to their decision has been, for the most part, positive.

Here's the comment I left (please keep in mind how sleep deprived I am as you read it):

"I'm very pleased with the CBC's decision. I only wish that the NBC had reacted the same way rather then sensationalizing something so despicable.

Also, I don't believe that this is a very strong case of 'censorship.' People toss that word around a lot, but the reality is that CBC does not have the ability to broadcast every single thing that occurs in the whole wide world. It has to make decisions every day on what it will and will not cover. The decision to only broadcast what it considers to be worthy news is not censorship, its just the reality of running a media corporation. And after all, we all still possess the freedom to look elsewhere for a fuller picture, if we so choose."


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* Forensic psychiatrist Michael Welner told ABC News the airing of the tape was a "social catastrophe." "This is a PR tape of him trying to turn himself into a Quentin Tarantino character," Welner told Good Morning America on Thursday. "There's nothing to learn from this except giving it validation."