Nancy Grace is a talk show host on CNN’s Headline News. The former prosecutor, turned talk-show host is a ratings winner for CNN.
Recently she interviewed the mother and father of a missing 2-year-old boy. Nancy, known for her relentless questioning, crude comments, quick judgments and outlandish generalities pressed this women with question after question. She accused the mother of being involved in the disappearance of her son, volleyed numerous questions and essentially obliterated her on TV. It was painful to watch.
The next day, the mother killed herself. In a suicide note she left behind she cited Nancy and the interview.
My two issues…
Nancy Grace is not a journalist. Her and her producers are CNN’s very own TV Hit Squad. I’ve seen her lampoon guest after guest with no sense that she’s crossing any kind of line. She wraps all of it under the blanket of “finding the truth”, yet is constantly judge, jury and executioner often times before an investigation has come full circle. Regardless if this mother was guilty, Nancy wasn’t professional, nor did she display any type of journalistic integrity.
Secondly, CNN chose to air the interview even after learning about the mother’s suicide. They even re-ran the episode for days after her death. In the almighty ratings race, CNN devalued the life of this women, guilty or innocent, for a few extra points and a couple extra dollars. They too could see no line they crossed and stood beside Nancy and the airing of the interview.
My heart hurts for us. For those of us that are so desensitized to the media, we can brush it aside and feel nothing; for those of us that deem it the “status-quo” and don’t form any kind of opinion. I believe this is a bit of a dark day for the media realm and for us as a society.
We need some much needed help.
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Comments welcomed.