CNN has an ad running for their show World’s Untold
Stories sensationalizing a report they’re
broadcasting about some secret Irish tapes detailing the past struggles there.
They say in this promo for the show that revealing these tapes publicly
“threatens the peace process” and may place many lives at risk. Well, if it
could harm people, then CNN has shown they simply can’t wait to tell
that story! Who cares if lives are at risk: this is news! (Plus, if they got everybody fighting and killing each other again, that would be even bigger news! Then they could proudly claim that CNN not only reports, but also creates, the news!)
To be fair, they’re hardly the only ones to do reckless and
irresponsible stuff like this, sensationalizing volatile stories in such a way
as to put many lives at risk (potentially), but they really ought to know better than to try
to ramp up ill-will and hostilities through their reporting. The way they’re
advertising this story appears as though they are attempting to incite riots
and reignite hostilities in Ireland: Shame on them, seriously! If you must tell
the story, how about doing it in a more respectful and dignified, low-key manner, so as
not to derail the peace process? Wouldn’t that be more restrained and responsible? (Jerks.)
Look, CNN, I know you’re desperate for ratings and
everything, but if a news story could cause violence, get people killed, etc.,
maybe you shouldn’t show it. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I
exposed some long-buried secret that caused bloodshed on a large scale and
derailed a long-negotiated peace process, renewing barely quelled hatred and
causing a resurgence in hostilities and retribution. But then again, I don’t
work for CNN. Maybe that’s why they’re the “most trusted name in news”: they
never hesitate to tell the stories that can get people killed! And if you can’t
trust someone like that, then really, who can you trust?
Here’s the reprehensible report on the sensationalized
story:
