New York Post Hits All-Time Low 'Reporting' Today's Terror Attack

By Jamie Wells, M.D. — Oct 31, 2017
When "journalism" goes too far in tragedy.
Credit: Pixabay

I am deeply saddened, disgusted and appalled that we have gotten to a place where the New York Post would deem the video content of their twitter feed an acceptable location to display beyond inappropriate moving images of victims of today's terror attack in lower Manhattan.

Items, let alone physical characteristics and features, can trigger families and loved ones watching to identify or suspect the worst imaginable news in these scenarios. With the expeditious timing of the media outlet's tweet, it is likely official notifications have not occurred.

Calls in the social media feed for them to take down the post have yet to be answered. Mine are among them:

Twitter users showed solidarity in their dismay urging the outlet to take it down. A few reported it to twitter and others repeated how disrespectful it was and in no way added anything to the story.

Is there no fundamental, universal ethical standard in journalism any more? I hope upon reflection they and other media outlets take a personal inventory about what their job actually is when informing the public. Maybe they should spend some time in the medical profession where they can get first-hand experience of contacting loved ones about tragic outcomes. Those moments are precious and should whenever possible be the best of the absolute worst of circumstances, for families can never un-learn or un-see. Where they were and how they learned of the injury of their loved one remains with them forever. Whenever possible - every single time - discovery should be as nurturing and therapeutic as it can be.

I do not believe such a tweet falls into the media's job description. 

Please take it down. If you are reading this and you agree, then I urge you to request the same. Humanity means so much more than clicks. Let's create a culture that values it.

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