I’m a certified news junkie, but even I had to step away from the oversaturated media coverage of the Boston Marathon bombings. As one who has followed such tragedies before knows, investigators don’t have instant answers for everything and it’s ridiculous to think that in a frenzied atmosphere, accurate information will be available in abundance. But that did not prevent news outlets and social media from rushing to be first rather than calmly waiting to be accurate.
The results were a string of embarrassing mistakes that did little to comfort a nation that still hadn’t gotten over the shock of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Newtown, Conn.
The media should have learned this lesson from the experience of covering the tragedy in Newtown when there were conflicting accounts everything – whether Adam Lanza had forced his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School or had been buzzed in, whether his brother Ryan was the shooter, etc.
Ironically, on the same day the Pulitzer Prizes honoring excellence in journalism were announced, including an award to the Denver Post for its coverage of the mass shooting in a movie theater in Aurora, Colo. that left 12 dead and 58 injured, news outlets were making major blunders while covering the Boston bombings. When a tragedy like this happens, with public safety at risk and the stakes so high, it’s important that the media gathers the facts, before it rushes to judgment.
On a happier note, Vice Mayor Jeff Cooper was voted in with a 5-0 vote to serve at Mayor. Councilperson Meghan Sahli-Wells was appointed to Vice
Mayor, replacing Jeff Cooper. Culver City’s mayor of the past year, Andy Weissman ended his term on April 22. The council selects from among their members a Mayor and Vice Mayor, to serve in those positions for a period of one year.
I wish the best to the New Mayor and Vice Mayor for coming year.