As Americans watched the events of the past week unfold on their television sets, the general consensus has been that the broadcast networks have done an adequate job with coverage. The networks themselves lost nearly $100 million each in advertising revenue by airing commercial-free coverage.
The networks will even make history this Friday, when NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox all simulcast the commercial free special “America: A tribute To Heroes.” A fundraiser, the special will feature dozens of celebrity performances running the gamut from the likes of Alicia Keyes to Conan O’Brien.
Plans have also been shelved for various television movies and series in the works that involved terrorists and/or bombings. Fox has delayed the late October premiere of its new program “24,” and NYPD Blue has even altered its opening due to terrorist connotations.
But for all the good the broadcast networks have done, they are not totally absolved from being scrutinized for some of their actions. For one, the constant replaying of the second plane that crashed into The World Trade Center was excessive and macabre. Not that the crash should never have been shown. But use of the crash in news opens and montages was unnecessary, simply because it desensitizes the viewing audience to a horrific event, and desensitization is hardly what America needs more of. Seeing the crash set to music, kicking off a news broadcast with some flashy headline like “America At War,” makes the event seem like a TV movie rather than the real life tragedy that it is.
The boundaries of what is acceptable were also tested when the broadcast networks choose to air footage of people jumping from the high floors of the World Trade Center to escape the fire and smoke. On one level, it is news, and should be reported on, and on another level it is completely gruesome and horrific. After all, these are the same channels that won’t allow swear words to be uttered.
Due to public complaints, the networks were forced to evaluate their stances on what they deem appropriate for airing on their news broadcast. Thus far, ABC News has been the only network to commit to no longer airing footage of the plane crash. The others haven’t been as quick, as NBC has publicly stated that they will continue to use the footage if it “germane” to the story, while CNN’s stance is that they will use the footage “judiciously.”
While the networks should be commended for pulling back plans for programming that could be seen as exploitive for the time being, don’t count on them to ride that wave forever. Quite simply, if network executives feel that there is green to be made, they are going to give most anything the green light. What that means is don’t be surprised to see a TV movie within the next year “chronicling” the attacks. While such a production would probably be under the guise of helping Americans “heal,” or “remember the victims,” likely it would suspiciously occur right around sweeps time. Also, if a full-scale war begins, be on the lookout for an influx of war movies on television, all with pro-war stances
The end result of the conflict (if there is one in the near future) will determine when and if television programming ever gets back to normal. Many will undoubtedly never look at a plane crash or bombing on television or film the same way again. Will it be possible to entertain with those images ever again? Like they did this past week with news coverage, the power brokers in the industry will have some serious decisions to make over the next few months and years over exactly what is appropriate viewing. A year from now network executives may deem it appropriate to again bomb buildings and hijack planes on television (and in the movies for that matter). But will it really be anymore appropriate then than it is now?
