Hundreds of thousands of businesses and individuals pay public relations firms and publicists weighty retainers to get their messages out - to break through to an audience. Ford Motor Company wants you to know they're "bold." Obama wants you to know he's experienced enough to be President. I want you to know that I'm the witty go-to guy on American Idol commentary.
The demented Cho has managed to become not only a household name but also a legend in record time - and he didn't have to pay anyone to do it for him. Sending his press kit to NBC may be the only rational thing he did - since NBC News took the bait (in record time).
Here's a challenge: Give me a single upside to NBC showing the video, even the stills, from Cho's press kit. (Sorry, no prize this time.) Just one good thing that will come from this.
Last night, I watched MSNBC for about 45 minutes. Three different guests (one profiler and one psychotherapist included) made it clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that Cho's "content" was worthless; that there was nothing to learn from his rantings; that he was probably, among other things, a paranoid schizophrenic. In short, his words had no meaning.
A couple of guests applauded NBC for handling the material responsibly. The endorsements seemed suspiciously planted. One guest went so far as to say that this material would have gotten out there in some other way had NBC embargoed it. Really? Then I guess I can still catch the footage of Steve Irwin getting zapped by the stingray.
You don't need to give me the downside to airing Cho's multimedia presentation: further desensitization, inspiring of copycats ... I got those covered. (Media neophytes Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris left their fans wanting more image-wise. Cho's iconography might be kind of hackneyed but it's plentiful, perfect for screensavers. A few may even make the leap to t-shirts, a la Patty Hearst. Or how about "Cho" instead of "Che"?)
Of course everyone else showed the meaningless footage, no doubt accelerating the mythologizing of Cho. (Jeez, it took Mother Teresa seven years to just get beatified.) This morning a Fox News correspondent stood in the hallway outside Cho's door room in Ambler. Room 2120. This was The room of The man who perpetrated The worst mass shooting in American history, we were told. How long before the plaque that reads "Cho Slept Here" goes up?
***
UPDATE: Some commenters say I'm supporting censorship. I don't think I am. After all, news organizations get pitched stories constantly - by Proctor & Gamble, by the DNC and RNC, and in this case by a lunatic. The editorial staff need to decide what's newsworthy. In this case, I think the sending of the tape is itself a story. The content of the tape? Not so much.
But speaking of censorship, does anyone else find it almost funny to watch and hear the rantings of a homicidal maniac - but with the naughty curse words bleeped? Wouldn't want to freak the kiddies out!
Mo Rocca has appeared on a bunch of shows, including 'The Daily Show,' 'I Love the 80s,'...
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The Legend of Cho (Brought to you by NBC)
Posted Apr 19th 2007 8:03AM by Mo Rocca
Filed under: Virginia Tech Shooting, Cho Seung-Hui
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Reader Comments ( Page 7 of 74)
91. As creepy as the video is, I think it's actually something we should watch carefully for this reason. I realize that if I had just heard him ranting without knowing what he'd done, I would never think he was capable of violence. I guess I'm just too trusting and innocent. I would have thought he was troubled and tried to listen to him and comfort him, maybe try to get him to reach out. In other words, my reaction to someone like this is based on my feeling that most people are good! So to learn a bit more about human nature and the mind of someone with an axe to grind, who talks in a monotone and seems in complete control-- if I can learn from this to recognize danger in the future, then watching this depressingly sickening video is worthwhile. However, we who watch it are also victims as it is all so sickening and the images not only of his ugliness but of his victims with their hopeful and lovely eyes are unforgettable. At this point I can't even bring myself to feel compassion for this darkest of human beings who destroyed so many bright and innocent lives.
chris at 12:45PM on Apr 19th 2007
92. The hell with this nutcase. By showing him and his rants such as the "martyrs" of Columbine and saying he is going out like he was Jesus, all your are doing is possibly feeding and "inspiring" other social outcasts like Cho to do something like this. I agree with Minx, If any other newstation was given this footage they would show it, but I mean if Cho was inspired by Columbine, shouldn't the newstations have learned the lesson of constantly reporting horrible tradegies like this.
The Kid at 1:54PM on Apr 19th 2007
93. Judy: #9. I agree, you are the only one that makes sense.
This poor soul who cried out over and over and no one came to rescue him. Only dabbed here and there because the bottome line is no one knows what to do with them>
joyce at 12:50PM on Apr 19th 2007
94. i honestly think who ever recieved that dumptape and photos should have never aired it.its a disgrace to see his face all over the news like hes a god hes not hes a whack job and a punk for killing his self he took the easy way out its not about him its about those poor innocent people that he killed and their families.they need to be all over the t.v.s not him hes no one just a crazed weirdo.my heart and prayers are with those famlies.
ann rumer at 12:52PM on Apr 19th 2007
95. I agree Margie #15. This is exactly the situation at hand Start a new Mental Health Program It is no more than how it was in the early ages. Yet, even then they were locked up
joyce at 12:58PM on Apr 19th 2007
96. COme on America, WAKE UP!!! Again, this is about a student that had been an outcast for poor speech. Something that he was born with, something that his parents didn't know how to fix, something that he had to live with being made fun of, ridiculed, bullyed,harrassed, osterisized, cast out, ETC ETC.
This had to have started at a very early and tender age, and the anger must have festered in him for 23 years. THIS IS WHY HE DIDN'T TALK TO PEOPLE VERY MUCH. THIS IS WHY HE WAS STUDYING ENGLISH. THIS IS WHY HE WROTE PLAYS- because he couldn't speak well and was afraid of the outcome from peers, teachers, friends. So he WROTE- and he stayed in his head instead of expressing himself verbally.
Let's get the lesson here folks! It's about LOVE, ACCEPTANCE FOR EVERYONE, and TAKING THE HIGHEST ROAD IN LIFE. Until America gets this lesson, and continues to act from seperation, exclusion and superiority, I'm afraid that history might just repeat itself!
BEAJ at 1:08PM on Apr 19th 2007
97. Thank you, Mo! I wondered why no one else was saying this. If this inspires the next person, I want Brian Williams to spend hours interviewing people asking, "Is NBC to blame?" and "Why would they do that?"
Jennifer at 1:06PM on Apr 19th 2007
98. NBC pandered to the killer and in doing that guaranteed the victims of Cho and their families, will re-live, again, and again, and again, and again their horror and pain. It's hard enough to recover when the minds of the victims and their families, on their own, remember the images like a bad dream that won't go away. The news media trumped Cho over the victims at the very time when the focus should have been on THEIR recovery. IT'S TIME THE NEWS MEDIA CEASE ALL COVERAGE. NOT ONE MORE PHOTO OF CHO, NOT ONE MORE MENTION OF HIS NAME. It's to the point that the news media are complicit in the torment of the victims. THAT should be criminal!! Their irresponsibility, in my view, just creates MORE Cho's. More and more of the same things, so called "copy cats". STOP!!!
Jean at 1:07PM on Apr 19th 2007
99. Maybe NBC will come up with w new show for CHO now, "Thank GOD your NOT here" They should spend more time producing shows with viable content (not the crap they have out there) and less time promoting a useless news division including that hapless show they call TODAY. Your on air personalities are USELESS.
D at 1:15PM on Apr 19th 2007
100. Mo is absolutely right. Stop with the photos and videos of the killer. Is exactly what he wanted and the media is providing the venue ad nauseaum, No more TV news networks for me
nancy at 1:09PM on Apr 19th 2007
101. It sounded to me like he knew English well enough. He was the one who decided not to speak. When I was at Tech I knew people who spoke with a stronger accent than he, and wrote using poor grammer, and I don't remember them being ostracized. We are not to blame, my friend.
Beaj at 1:09PM on Apr 19th 2007
102. "maybe it is time to bring to the table issues of mental illness in combination with the need for a change in gun laws...seeing a college kid with a history of mental illness with guns in his hands after and before killing others..."
He answered the question on the form when he applied for the gun that he had not been involuntarily institutionalized. The FBI or whoever did the background check on him is who dropped the ball, not the gun laws. If a proper background check had been done, it would have been obvious he lied on his application, and would have been denied for the guns in the first place.
Matt at 1:10PM on Apr 19th 2007
103. Beaj: It sounded to me like he knew English well enough. He was the one who
decided not to speak. When I was at Tech I knew people who spoke
with a stronger accent than he, and wrote using poor grammer, and I
don't remember them being ostracized. We are not to blame, my friend.
Jennifer at 1:13PM on Apr 19th 2007
104. NBC has Chosen to air the videos of a coward who did not take responsibility for his actions. There need to air all the videos to show how sick this child was. We do not need people like Dr. Keith or Dr. Phil trying to find justification for this mass-murders actions. NBC mistakenly aired this video which opens up a lot of questions. Now they must show them all to prevent these murders from happening again. We do not need anyone thinking this coward is hero. They need to show how deeply that he was sick.
Joseph C. Pellegrini at 1:14PM on Apr 19th 2007
105. I am so glad that I am not alone on this issue. I am a firm believer in the 1st amendment, but airing the Cho tapes, letters etc had NO, NONE, NADA value. I found it offensive and absolutely disgusting. If we are so craving the sensational then the news last night should have focused on the people, the good people and soldiers who are dying in Iraq. VA Tech was a horrific tragic event for the families, the school, and we as a people. But what is wrong with us that we seem to have this need for exploitation, for having to hear and to know every gory detail? Enough is enough! We heard endless days of Ann Nicole Smith and who was the Daddy. Just all plain trash. Why is it that these kind of school shootings by students rarely,if ever, happen in other countries? Is it that buying a gun is so easy here? I am really afraid for this country.
Christine at 1:18PM on Apr 19th 2007