We are ALL Hokies

Seems like most of the “big” events on campuses happened in the near and distant past:  Kent State, Minnesota’s Red Lake shootings, even Columbine.  With each one, we never imagined we could see something more gruesome.  But now the country’s faced with the deadliest campus shooting in its history.  So as a former TV news journalist and someone who covered some of those “past” events, I ask:  how do we treat this “biggest” of major events?

You probably notice a new headline everyday…or at least a new version of a previous day’s angle.  Inside media news outfits, many reporters get sent out to gather information and break stories daily.  Sometimes the latter is possible.  Sometimes it’s not.  This blogger wonders what came first:  the story or the country’s interest in a new angle.

Please send your thoughts.  I’ll share them.  Out of respect for the victims of Virginia Tech and their families, I must state I’m NOT implying we stop coverage of this event.  But rather because of the respect these victims and their survivors deserve, I ask how much coverage of April 16 th is overkill?  And should we turn our lens to focus on reporting about and analyzing the underlying issues which led to tragedy?

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