Media love to exploit a tragedy

Jerry Andreoli Jr., Las Vegas

Tuesday, June 3, 2014 | 2 a.m.

Hardly ever do several news stories appear that make me feel a need to vent in print. I resist, as I know that no one cares what I may have to say.

The tragedy in Santa Barbara, Calif., certainly needs to be discussed, but I can not tolerate a television media that tries to promote itself as caring about the public welfare by calling for the expansion and/or creation of a mental health care bureaucracy while at the same time providing “face time” to a troubled youth in a society that holds personal exposure, the “15 minutes of fame” in such high regard. Not just face time but face time in excess. All that they have not promoted yet is nominating it for a YouTube award as the best video of the month. Hypocrites.

There was a time when reporting was about accuracy and responsibility. Today, accuracy and responsibility, as well as ethics and tastefulness, are resigned to the junk drawer. Evidently, ratings trump all.