School siege

[londondave]

Anyone else think that the news coverage of the Russian school siege was a bit insensitive? Theese children were stripped, yet the cameras continued to film close ups of them. The peadophiles must have thought it was Christmas.

[jills]

sorry, can't agree with you. I think it's a poor show when pictures of semi naked children immediately bring to mind thoughts of paedophiles. You see kids wearing less on britians beaches every year. There's nothing wrong with children being semi clad. OK, so the news broadcasters were all looking to make their news coverage as real and shocking as possible I guess, but also, they'd want to convey the full horror of what the kids suffered....burns, oppressive heat, having to remove their clothes cos they were soiled, etc. Not wanting to back the news companies too much, but it would have been virtually impossible to edit out such shots....as much of the footage was streamed live to tv channels. I don't think for one second we should pander to paedophiles, but similarly, they cannot dictate what is shown on TV, especially when it is part of a news item of international concern.

[londondave]

Some of these children were at an age where they would not want to go topless/naked on a beach, let alone be exposed to the whole of the world on television. plus the adults too was total humiliation for them.

[jills]

to be honest, the kids I saw were not worried in the slightest about their state of undress. All they were concerned about was getting a drink of water and having their wounds attended to (clothes would have stuck to their burns etc). Watched live coverage from 10am and didn't see a child grab a blanket or item of clothing to cover themselves up. Apart from anything else, it was a very warm day there. Thought your point was re kids?....but again, I think the adults would have more on their minds than who could see their underwear. Similarly I can't imagine anyone watching the horror unfold would think 'oh how humiliating for these adults to be seen semi clad.'

[MrsCheeks]

THe thing I found very distressing was how the journalists were right in at the front with the Military and inhibiting them. Why would the news people think we care about seeing the carnage in the school ffs? I get so angry at this - it is unnessarily putting the lives of those trying to rectify this dreadful situation into major jeopardy. Kick the bloody journos out of the area or make them stay a safe distance behind, just as the poor families had to, and let the authorities do their job. Sorry, touchy subject with me as I am a military wife and get sick of these news crews sticking their noses in.

[saffstar]

I completely agree with what jills has said. I too watched the coverage for most of the day and the thought of paedophiles getting off on it never once crossed my mind. I do agree with MrsCheeks too about journalists hindering rescue efforts - it really is sickening to hear of camera crews shoving troops out of the way to get to the bodies of dead children 'first' - but I think it's important that the rest of the world sees the true awfulness of what these evil people have done, at least to some extent. I don't believe that we should be cocooned from the reality of terrorism, as we would be if journalists weren't allowed to report from Breslan, or the World Trade Centre or anywhere else. I think we need to see to understand what's going on in certain parts of the world so that we can try to help, in whatever small way, to defeat it. Far better that than paranoid news blackouts.

[Drewhound]

I agree saffstar the last thing we want is blackouts. The thought of paedophiles didn't cross my mind till I read this but then we have beaches here where you see kids and adults with few clothes on every day. Journalists do go over the top sometimes but remember 20 years ago we'd have known nothing about it, I'm glad they were there and if I was a soldier there I wouldn't see a problem with most of them either

[chimpy]

surely you cant be serious that we should not report what is actually true in the world for the sake of sick twisted perverts....thats their life..

[londondave]

like I say I was only upset by the CLOSE UP shots.

[el duerino]

hahaha, sorry? go and beat up a pediatrician. It really is quite sad that children cannot be shown in a state of undress without a member of the british public (gawd bless'em) playing the paedophile card. If you want a sensitive version of children getting blown up and shot, well sorry they don't exist.

[dj_ajax]

Our news is already censored as it is i remember when i was in spain i watched the news there and they have no limits on what they show. I seemed to remember it showing dead bleeding bodies which to be honest you would never see here unless it was by chance or for a political gain.

[el duerino]

I would prefer a completely uncensored news broadcast. far too many people in the western world are so desensitised to death they hear about an earthquake killing thousands and think 'how sad'. Show them the bleeding bodies, the severed limbs, the whole families killed, anything to make them ACT.

[tomd]

Act against earthquakes?

[el duerino]

work it out