Ragnar
<--- Pic is not me
Well, not ALL the media.
Hot Air Media outside pastor’s home finally snaps: “You’re just using us! We should all leave!”
Heh...
Yeah, that would be Fox News.
Koran Burning | Fox News | Media Coverage | Mediaite
Hot Air Media outside pastor’s home finally snaps: “You’re just using us! We should all leave!”
Heh...
Im not kidding when I tell you that, in four-plus years of blogging here, this is one of the most comically pathetic stories Ive posted. To set the stage, the church said earlier today that they wanted a promise from Feisal Rauf within two hours that the Ground Zero mosque would be moved. The two hours came and went with no promise, and then the church spokesmen came out and announced nothing. They didnt know their next move yet.
And it was then, my friends, that our tired, bedraggled, drama-starved press finally lost it.
Are you just toying with us to get attention? asked a sweaty woman in a suit, crouching near the hot grass to keep out of the shot of multiple cameras over her head
Why did you give this two-hour window? came a shout from another side of the scrum.
So will you say youre going to burn a Koran anytime you want press coverage? snapped a reporter with a German accent
Youre just using us! We should all leave! someone yelled from deep in the media pack.
Silence for a moment. Yeah! Lets all leave!
Joness response: Fine, were not press hungry, go!
But no one moved, until Jones turned and shuffled back to the church.
They cant quit now, baby, not when this storys building to something. Itd be like walking out of the circus before they bring out the bearded lady. All we know for sure at the moment: Nothings going to happen tomorrow. Oh, and we also know, according to Joness own daughter, that he needs help. So there you go. Youre now up to speed on The Biggest Story In The World.
Exit question: Which network has done the least to hype this moronic story over the past week?
Yeah, that would be Fox News.
Koran Burning | Fox News | Media Coverage | Mediaite
Now that the media circus has come full circle and Rev. Jones appears to have canceled plans to burn the Koran (or not), many are wondering just how complicit the media has been in elevating a fringe character to the global spotlight. Already the White House has weighed in, pointing out that there is more press covering Rev. Jones statements than there are parishioners in his church.
Today, ABCs Jake Tapper asked President Obama if his administration also played a part in giving too much attention to Rev. Jones (particularly since Defense Secretary Robert Gates reportedly made a personal phone call asking Jones to cease and desist.) Mr. Obama made clear in his response that he held the safety of the U.S. troops stationed in Muslim countries as far more important than worrying about elevating a fringe character as Tapper described the situation.
But thats exactly whats occured: a fringe character with 50 or so parishioners has somehow developed the power to create an international incident. And many in the media have come to recognize that absurdity. Chris Cuomo of ABC News candidly tweeted out: I am in the media, but think media gave life to this Florida burning and that was reckless. Mediaite founder Dan Abrams also tweeted The massive media coverage of this whack job pastor is shameful. His announcement is being treated like a huge jury verdict. WaPos Howard Kurtz added via Twitter: Of course Terry Jones says hes only delaying his Koran-burning; if he cancels it, the media mob bails and hes left with 50 followers.
Heh...Terms Mentioned
Fox News HLN MSNBC CNN
Koran+Burning 8 39 51 54
Terry Jones 9 17 26 31
Total 17 56 77 85