NBC's decision

NBC says that they struggled with whether to air clips from Cho's videotaped package and pictures. Well, I don't believe that they struggled much at all about whether or not to show the excerpts. These networks are quick to air the latest broadcasts from Al Qaeda whenever they appear - they weren't going to hold back on their biggest scoop in years. Their struggle might have been over which pictures or excerpts to show, but I don't think there was ever any serious objection to showing some of it. The fact that every other network quickly put up the pictures and video themselves as soon as it was made available from NBC shows that the media doesn't have any real compunction about showing such hateful messages.

And I must confess that I had some morbid curiosity to see and hear the guy responsible for such evil murders. I just really wish that they weren't being aired over and over again all night long. Though, TV views of Cho will still probably not surpass shots of Anna Nicole.

One thing that Charles Krauthammer pointed out immediately after seeing the first clips from Cho's video is that there are some similarities between his video and what Palestinian terrorists film before they go out to murder Israelis. I wonder if he was inspired by such taped manifestos - which are also aired on TV. In our day and age, the murderers can receive lots of publicity for their brutalities. In fact, they can receive much more airplay than the sight of people jumping from windows on 9/11.

What I object to is now there are constant replayings of the video and pictures, especially the ones with him staring straight at the camera and holding a gun. I just keep thinking that that was the last sight that some of the victims on Monday saw before they died. What a disturbing photo to air so even before the victims are buried.

And how disturbing to think that somewhere out there today are some sick souls who will be inspired by hearing his words and seeing all these pictures to try some sort of copycat event to get their own moment on TV.

Some are wondering why NBC received the package. I think it's because they are the network whose address is widely known - all he had to do was know that there was a TV show called 30 Rock (which is a rather cute show). The fact that he made mistakes with the rest of the address, using Avenue instead of Plaza and making a mistake with the zipcode indicates that the part of the address he knew is the part that is on TV.

So, I don't fault NBC from showing some of what they received. That is news and it was inevitable that they show it. I do object to the endless replay. And Ed Driscoll is exactly right that there is something quite unseemly with MSNBC using the pictures as part of its marketing package on its website.