Bridge collapses in Minneapolis... journalists scramble to collect usual quotes

[Morrigoon]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20079534/?GT1=10252

[Sub la Goon]

BigPigletFan lives about 4 blocks from the bridge and she is OK.
Very shaken but fine.

She was diverted on her way home and then found out what had happened.
Details in MC Main Lounge.

[scaeagles]

Your title is very appropriate. The formula is always the same on a tragic event like this (and my comments are not meant to belittle the immensity of the tragedy, only the media coverage).

There will be structural engineers theorizing as to the cause, non stop photos of the scene, interviews with emergency workers, repeated counts of the number of dead and injured, officials telling us how horrible it is....all repeated ad infinitum.

In Phoenix two news helicopters collided while covering a car chase this week. Both crashed, 4 people died. Horrible indeed. There weas non stop local coverage for two days with nothing new being said, no new information, just the same things over and over. I really don't understand it.

[Gemini Cricket]

:(

[CoasterMatt]

I just want to state, that while I was not at work today, I was nowhere near Minneapolis, either.

[JWBear]

Your title is very appropriate. The formula is always the same on a tragic event like this (and my comments are not meant to belittle the immensity of the tragedy, only the media coverage).

There will be structural engineers theorizing as to the cause, non stop photos of the scene, interviews with emergency workers, repeated counts of the number of dead and injured, officials telling us how horrible it is....all repeated ad infinitum.

In Phoenix two news helicopters collided while covering a car chase this week. Both crashed, 4 people died. Horrible indeed. There weas non stop local coverage for two days with nothing new being said, no new information, just the same things over and over. I really don't understand it.
What I've said about the incessant celebrity coverage applies here too... investigating real news takes work!

[alphabassettgrrl]

It may be repetitive and formulaic, but I grew up in Minneapolis and it hits a little close to home. I just can't stop reading WCCO's web site ticker. Or looking at the pictures. It's horrible.

Not to mention that when I tried to call my mom, all phone circuits are busy and likely to remain so for a long time. I don't think she uses that bridge, but nonetheless, I won't be comfortable until I hear my family's safe.

My friend had a dream last night about falling over a cliff into water and she had a really bad feeling late this afternoon, near the time that the bridge actually collapsed.

[Alex]

Here's the thing about the inane continuous coverage:

It is great if you don't just sit and watch it for hours on end. I didn't hear about the story until about 3 hours after it happened. So I went and watched CNN, MSNBC, and Fox for about 20 minutes knew what the situation was then stopped watching.

It is kind of like Headline News used to be but for breaking news and you'd not complain that Headline News repeats itself every 30 minutes (well, now they hardly even get around to the news but that is a different thing). It will be really inane tomorrow.

[alphabassettgrrl]

That's one reason I like getting my news from the internet. I've been continuously refreshing WCCO's site tonight. Things get updated periodically.

Yes, I could wait until tomorrow and get it all at once. But this is one of the few places I call "home" so it matters.

[€uroMeinke]

BigPigletFan lives about 4 blocks from the bridge and she is OK.
Very shaken but fine.

She was diverted on her way home and then found out what had happened.
Details in MC Main Lounge.

More reason to move to California

[cirquelover]

I was actually born there. The first thing I thought of was my Aunt Barb luckily, I guess, I check my email to find out my Aunt had a pacemaker installed this morning. Thankfully she is ok, now I just have to worry about the rest of the family that was coming to see her!!

[Morrigoon]

There wasn't enough room in the title, but it was supposed to say journalists scramble to collect usual collection of inane quotes.

Anyway... the bridge collapse is a big deal, but I got totally distracted by the litany of really stupid quotes in the article.

[Mousey Girl]

For those here who don't puruse MC, Big PigletFan's post is very moving and worth a look. Had circumstances been just a little different she would have been on it when it went.

[Stan4dSteph]

For those here who don't puruse MC, Big PigletFan's post is very moving and worth a look. Had circumstances been just a little different she would have been on it when it went.Can you provide a direct link? Thanks.

[DreadPirateRoberts]

Can you provide a direct link? Thanks.

here's the link (http://www.micechat.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2015662#post2015662)

[Snowflake]

Can you provide a direct link? Thanks.

^^^^ DPR beat me to it!

Post #27 (http://www.micechat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73121&page=3)

I saw a bit of the coverage last night, a terrible tragedy, but already so many miraculous survivals. After all, there could be hundreds dead, and so far, there are not.

I've not met BPF, but I saw her recent posting (welcome) and am glad that she's okay. It's called dodging a bullet, I guess.

I have to say, the bit of news I caught late last night, I saw part of a press conference with the Mayor, Governor, Red Corss and Police and they were calm and articulate and totally speaking off the cuff in the face of a terrible disaster. I was impressed, good people.

[blueerica]

As much as I do care, I think that the coverage has been a bit much. I'm waiting for new news, instead of hearing people give heart-felt speeches and promises of prayers, as though we've had a national disaster - 4 people dead and 20 missing is far from a national disaster. I understand it's a major disaster to anyone that's from there or would be traveling there or know anyone involved, but this over-coverage is desensitizing me to the point that I don't care I did last night. This morning, I'm annoyed - and worse, I feel guilty about it. But I have to remember, it's not the subject, but the way it's been presented that's getting to me.

I think this speaks toward the direction news has gone lately. The other day I was talking with my grandma about the poor transitioning that we see on news programs today (both 24 hour channels and local evening news). The talent just must not be there in the writing staff, because it's just plain cheese and it occassionally makes no sense. Same goes for the reporting. It's few and far between that anyone says anything with meaning - when someone is really good (my liking or disliking nonwithstanding, I think there are a handful), the public gloms onto it, until it too becomes just as cheesy and overblown as the rest.

Americans want quality over quantity, I believe - but it's our behavior that propagates (generally, not individually) the opposite.

[alphabassettgrrl]

One thing is the difference between the local station WCCO (very good) and the crap we get here. Even now, WCCO's web site is the first thing I checked this morning for news. CNN is crap, sadly. I think the Midwest reporters still try, though the video of the actual collapse was submitted to CNN (anonymously).

It's horrifying. It just goes down.

Last night I was reading a lot and many people said they credit their survival to wearing their seat belts. Cool. One of the people who died had chest injuries consistant with a fall of 64 feet and was one of the first transported to a hospital. I'm glad to see the system works- as more seriously injured, they should go first.

Gives me hope that people might be worth something after all. I get a little jaded here in LA, where it's everybody for themselves in a lot of ways. Then I see something like this, horrifying to those involved, and yet people come through and help.

[blueerica]

Some of the personal accounts are amazing. As stupid the quotes that come from average people may be, it's a heck of a lot more listenable than anything else, and it put me in their shoes.

One lady described how the free fall felt, the thud, and watching what appeared to be someone flying upward. Now that's interesting.

[madmonkeygirl]

My best friend Brea and her family live there. I haven't heard any word from any of them yet. I'm praying they are all safe. I'm not sure exactly where my friend works either i do know the area i think since i did visit there in 2005. Not knowing really stinks. I'm just worried til i get word.

[Stan4dSteph]

It will be interesting to see the failure analysis on this collapse.

I found the comments about the fall being like an amusement park ride to be particularly interesting. I can imagine if I were one of the survivors, I wouldn't be going on any rides any time soon.

[alphabassettgrrl]

On the bright side, there *are* many survivors. :)

[3894]

Anyway... the bridge collapse is a big deal, but I got totally distracted by the litany of really stupid quotes in the article.

The wallowing in others' grief for network profit is really getting on my nerves.

[Gemini Cricket]

The video of the collapse is scary.
:eek:

[Stan4dSteph]

The wallowing in others' grief for network profit is really getting on my nerves.I imagine you're getting even more inundated with coverage than I am, being closer to the accident site.

It's times like these that I thank God for channels like Food Network.

[alphabassettgrrl]

That's one of the reasons I despise broadcast tv news. Getting crying people on camera isn't news, but it does fill time.

Please stick to the news.

[Kevy Baby]

That's one of the reasons I despise broadcast tv news. Getting crying people on camera isn't news, but it does fill time.

Please stick to the news. Unfortunately, the crying sells - it is what the masses want to see. The crying invokes the emotions which keeps people invested in that particular channel that they are watching.

[alphabassettgrrl]

I don't get it. I don't want to see random people cry. I want to know what's going on.

[Kevy Baby]

I don't get it. I don't want to see random people cry. I want to know what's going on. I didn't say it made sense...

[alphabassettgrrl]

True. Lots of things lately don't make sense but seem to be popular.

[3894]

True. Lots of things lately don't make sense but seem to be popular.

Uh oh. That's the first sign of approaching middle age. The second is when you're home on a Saturday night and the phone rings and you hope it's not for you.

[alphabassettgrrl]

Most of the time when the house phone rings it's not for me. It's not even a person usually, just telemarketer autodialers. Or fax machines.

And yes, I am clearly no longer "young" and the social landscape reminds me frequently. But I'm ok with that; I know what matters to me and my life.

[Gemini Cricket]

This whole event is horrible, but the coverage of this by the media seems a bit much. It's almost as if they're disappointed that there aren't more deaths to report on.

Also, my assistant is from that area and knows someone who is in the hospital who dropped in his car to the river below. Small world. Sad sad sad. :(

[alphabassettgrrl]

I'm glad I don't know anybody involved. Surprised, but glad.

I agree about the media. I commented to my hubby that on Thursday is when the media coverage starts to get stupid. I'm still not watching broadcast news but I read the internet news sites.