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- From: skaeser@nmaa.org (Steven Kaeser)
- Newsgroups: alt.alien.visitors,alt.paranet.ufo,sci.skeptic
- Subject: Re: Roswell is...
- Date: Sat, 15 Jun 1996 08:22:28
- Organization: Kaeser Konsulting
- Lines: 55
- Message-ID: <skaeser.67.0008602B@nmaa.org>
- References: <31BDE3D0.711A@students.wisc.edu> <Dsxxwo.ID6@avenger.daytonoh.ncr.com>
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-
- In article <Dsxxwo.ID6@avenger.daytonoh.ncr.com> taranr <> writes:
-
- >I believe the reason for the lack of interest in UFOs on the part of the media
- >is simply that it is predominantly run by skeptics and people who fear them,
- >having once been one myself. Consider the Mexico City sightings in which
- >thousands of people witnessed a UFO during a solar eclipse. Only shows like
- >"Hard Copy" would run the story while major U.S. newspapers and TV news shows
- >dropped the ball, not even giving it an honerable mention. All the while in
- >Mexico,in their version of "20/20", one of the main correspondants of that
- >show asked during a broadcast for any witnesses and photos or vidios of the
- >object. Within one minute 40 thousand calls came in (Mexico City is the
- >world's largest city with I believe well over 20 million residents).
-
- >The lack of interest on the part of the media in the states is not only the
- >fear of losing credibility, but also a lack of interest on their part in
- >general. However, I am beginning to see a slow turnaround despite the fact
- >that during the past ten years their have been thousands of UFO sightings in
- >the U.S. in many cities on a continuing basis. In and near Williamsport PA,
- >in 1991, 17 people reported seeing crescent shaped UFOs, some saying slowly
- >hovering over their driveway at a walking pace. Only a few papers mentioned
- >the incident and some quite skeptically eventhough the same object was
- >sighted on the same day in several counties. It was around this time I
- >spotted a UFO about two hours away from Williamsport.
-
- >-Bob Tarantino
-
- One has to keep in mind that the media tends to be REactive, rather than
- PROactive in reporting the news. This is especially true for the broadcast
- media which operates under serious time/profit constriants. It is simple to
- blame the media for failing to report sightings, but investigative reporting
- is the exception, rather than the rule in the majority of newsrooms.
-
- The Mexico City sightings did receive coverage in Mexico City, and mention in
- other papers around the world. No government entities came forward to say
- that this needed further investigation, and no scientists issued statements
- that these are "unknowns" that need serious study, and the media went on to
- the next story as one would expect.
-
- The tabloid programs you mention weren't timely in their reporting of this
- event. Profit was their primary motive and not the thruth, per se.
-
- A recent panel discussion was held at the American University in Washington
- and a group of reporters and science editors discussed the issue of UFO
- coverage in the media. It was interesting to note that the science editory
- for the Washington Post stated quite frankly that the newspaper wasn't going
- to write about anything it didn't believe in. Since this person's opinion has
- the impact of limiting coverage of the subject, the only way coverage would be
- assured would be for a statement from another entity (Government or
- Scientific) to force its inclusion due to the competitive nature of the
- business.
-
- I understand the frustration, but let's not get into the habit of shooting the
- messenger.
-
-
-