If the Costa Concordia shipwreck is on your TV as much as it is on mine, you may be starting to ask why? Frankly, I don't know but I have some thoughts.
That the Concordia shipwreck is being treated with almost the same media intensity as an earthquake or the Iran-US stand-off in the Straits of Hormuz is baffling.
And the Concordia is not the Titanic, no matter how often some reporter repeats it. It's a real shame that it sank. It seems less than a tragedy, but people were killed and injured and that is always something to be aware of and feel sympathy for. The captain and crew seem to have been ill-prepared and didn't follow their own rules and that is something to keep in mind if ever you decide to take a cruise. The captain also appears, according to Costa's latest statements, to have been lax in following evacuation procedures, and more important, in reading the charts that should have told him he was too close to the island. A lot of people were left to fend for themselves as passengers, and their families were frightened, stressed and worried.
Now, why should that lead to a media blitz? I think for several reasons.
First, it is an "easy" story. The facts are all there and so are the players. Porto Santo Stefano is a small port, I know because I've been there, and it's easy to get to all the pieces of the story.
Second, the photos of the ship on its side are impressive - meant for TV. So, it is visually compelling.
Third, it is not a complicated story. There are no warring factions, no need to balance civil peace against repression, no worry that reporters will be arrested if they stray too far from the official dogma, and no political pieces to weave together in the 30-60 seconds reporters usually have. And, there are no language barriers for most reporters because Italian, French and English are available. So, the Concordia is a straightforward, easy to tell, visually compelling story.
Fourth, the coast ofItaly
But, let's face it. The Concordia is not World War III. It is not a major human tragedy such as an earthquake or tsunami. It isn't even an international story, unless you like reading passenger rosters.
So, my advice to all the networks wasting time and money and reporter skills in Porto Santo Stefano would be to find the real stories that affect millions and make a difference in the world. Let the Concordia rest in peace.
That the Concordia shipwreck is being treated with almost the same media intensity as an earthquake or the Iran-US stand-off in the Straits of Hormuz is baffling.
And the Concordia is not the Titanic, no matter how often some reporter repeats it. It's a real shame that it sank. It seems less than a tragedy, but people were killed and injured and that is always something to be aware of and feel sympathy for. The captain and crew seem to have been ill-prepared and didn't follow their own rules and that is something to keep in mind if ever you decide to take a cruise. The captain also appears, according to Costa's latest statements, to have been lax in following evacuation procedures, and more important, in reading the charts that should have told him he was too close to the island. A lot of people were left to fend for themselves as passengers, and their families were frightened, stressed and worried.
Now, why should that lead to a media blitz? I think for several reasons.
First, it is an "easy" story. The facts are all there and so are the players. Porto Santo Stefano is a small port, I know because I've been there, and it's easy to get to all the pieces of the story.
Second, the photos of the ship on its side are impressive - meant for TV. So, it is visually compelling.
Third, it is not a complicated story. There are no warring factions, no need to balance civil peace against repression, no worry that reporters will be arrested if they stray too far from the official dogma, and no political pieces to weave together in the 30-60 seconds reporters usually have. And, there are no language barriers for most reporters because Italian, French and English are available. So, the Concordia is a straightforward, easy to tell, visually compelling story.
Fourth, the coast of
But, let's face it. The Concordia is not World War III. It is not a major human tragedy such as an earthquake or tsunami. It isn't even an international story, unless you like reading passenger rosters.
So, my advice to all the networks wasting time and money and reporter skills in Porto Santo Stefano would be to find the real stories that affect millions and make a difference in the world. Let the Concordia rest in peace.
Too many cruise ships on the seas anyway. Now, let's get back to the meat and potatoes like bashing Santorum.
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