Shades of media circuses past: News networks blanket Michael Jackson story

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/11/20/national1739EST0764.DTL

The rest of the world disappeared from television news networks Thursday as the surreal saga of Michael Jackson played out.

For more than two hours, CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC and Court TV covered nothing but the pop star's appearance at the Santa Barbara jail to face child molestation charges.

Over and over, they repeated what Fox News' Trace Gallagher called the money shot -- Jackson walking into the sheriff's office in handcuffs -- after news helicopters trailed airplanes and vehicles in a frantic attempt to spot the singer.

ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox broadcast networks all broke into programming for brief special reports.

"This is Laci Peterson and shark attacks and Kobe Bryant put together," said Martin Kaplan, professor at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communications. "It's a miraculous combination of sex and taboos and pop music and plastic surgery.

"All that's missing is the white Bronco," Kaplan said, a reference to the slow-speed police chase of O.J. Simpson a decade ago.
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At least we weren't th only people to notice this.

Michael Jackson for this???

That he's guilty-but does it affect me in the least? No. Yes, it's an awful crime. Members of my family have been victimized by people like Jackson, and although the perpetrators should get jail time and counseling (most were victims as children as well) their victims do NOT need to be victimized twice by being forced into a public trial! For once, just once, I wish the whore press would consider what's best for the victim and just stay out of it until a verdict is reached. Unfortunately, they will pursue this like rabid hyenas for the better part of the next year; Jackson has been at this for quite a while. He brought several young boys with him to my workplace (including the Caulkin kids) and never let his hands stray from them for long (creepy as hell, but not creepier than war for profit!)-I've got the awful feeling that the media will manage to find victim after victim to hound. Bread and circuses, my friends-it will keep the people distracted while PNAC rolls on. All we can do is continue to hammer away at the press, DEMANDING real and relevant news. We may have little effect, but silence implies consent!

Peace

O8)

:boring:

But they don't care. They were all going for what the Fox News guy said and that's the money shot....Michael Jackson in handcuffs.

What I want to know is why are they interviewing Latonya's ex-husband? The guy probably never met Michael Jackson.

yesterday one of the cable "news" channels was hawking its MJ-related interview with Uri Gellar.

Bottom. Of. Barrel.

they interviewed him is because none of the Jackson family would come on and say anything negative about Michael. Jermaine spoke by phone to CNN but he was highly angry and only spoke positive. My thing is why in the world did she marry the golddigger who later found out she had no gold.

waiting for Michael to emerge after processing. Somehow they missed his getting into the car, then the car just took off. They were pissed!!!! I couldn't believe the anger in their excited voices. They wanted to see his face.

:eyes: :grr: :puke:

the news still feels that it is more important to keep repeating the same shit about MJ over and over and over and over....