Hiker fallen in Mt St Helens crater

[Roy]

I sure feel for his family and friends.
This man lived a life, he was no spectator.

I think I would have enjoyed a trip up that mountain with him.

[markesc]

Yeah the "news" media.... heh... I try explaining this stuff to my grandmother whom still believes what the "news" says word for word....with changes in the requirements (think the fcc had something to do with it) in the early 80's they've sure gone from fact based reporting to sensationalism or whatever gets the most ratings... Would love to meet an editor or someone that calls the shots on what "stories" are told vs. others....

Anyways, sad story...I thought for sure they would have been able to rescue this guy.

I just heard on the TV (not very reliable source )

So true, Jerry! Have you ever noticed that the whopping majority of "news" is bad news? I think it was Carlin who pointed out a curious symbiotic relationship between the media, commercials and the public: the media supplies the stress, the commercial offers the solution to the stress, and the public keeps the whole engine running by taking everything both say for granted as true. In their fear, they stayed glued to the boobtube for updates, warnings, and reports so they can stay on top of the stress. They don't want to miss any stress.

They've lost all perspective. This is because if you use the news for your "daily report," you're getting a ludicrously distorted version of the truth. The truth is, the grand majority of visitors to Mt. St. Helens have a wonderful time. A huge percentage of hikers on the mountain experience only beauty and take away only pictures. A giant proportion of climbers on Helens complete their goal safely and return home victorious and proud. The mountain, itself, is one massive success story, evolving and reforesting itself at warp speed. We are lucky to be so close to such a wonder, we are wealthy in our ability to reach it so easily by car, walk up it so quickly on trails, and stand at the summit of an active volcano so recently redecorated. It's just amazing, outstanding!

Funny, the news must have forgotten to include all that in their recent report.

anna in boots

[pdxgene]

I think that back in the pre-cable news era the news was done as a 'public sevice' that was part of the requirement that the networks provided in return for use of the public airwaves. It was not intended as a profit making device.
Now it is.
There was also a limit on how many stations that a corporation could own. Now a handful of multinational corporations dominate the ownership ( Disney = ABC =ESPN and on and on it goes). And their interest isn't always the same as the public.