ABC News carried 14 non-stop hours of 9-11 coverage. They interviewed countless survivors, family members, policemen, firemen, politicians and just about every expert in the world.
Every major network- CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, CBS, NBC-had extensive programming surrounding the ceremonies marking the anniversary of the worst terror attack in history.
Each network had reporters at the ceremonies at the Pentagon, World Trade Center and Shanksville, Penn.
MSNBC showed President George W. Bush consoling family members for 30 minutes without audio.
Some University of Memphis students watched the coverage because they had to for class.
“I watched some of the programs, but it just upset me. I would not have watched, but I had to because I had to write a paper about it in a couple of classes,” Freshman Andrea Young said.
Young said that she remembered everything about that Sept. 11, 2001, and did not want to stir up those same emotions.”
Other students did not watch the plethora of coverage because they were busy with classes or work.
Junior criminal justice major Kimathi Clark was one of those. Although Clark did not see much of the TV programs, he said that the anniversary events should remind everyone that America should concentrate on defense as well as reflection.
“It brought back a lot of memories,” Clark said. “I think that the coverage was good. This should not be forgotten.”
Some students avoided watching the networks because it stirred up bad memories of the tragedies.
Sophomore Ivey Schewe saw some of the coverage but steered away from it quickly.
“A lot of it brought back the same emotions from a year ago,” Schewe said. “It shouldn’t be forgotten, but we do have to move on and not dwell on it either.”
Some watched, but not much.
Freshman Jared Falk was sitting in class at Millington High School on Sept. 11, 2001, when the disaster struck.
“I watched a little bit, but I got upset,” Falk said. “I think that the coverage will get less and less but shouldn’t be forgotten.”
Anthropology student Jason Wiggins shares Falk’s opinion about the overall TV coverage.
Wiggins said the coverage is good but will not last through the years.
“It will fade out, it has to-that is the way these things are,” Wiggins said. “Look at the Pearl Harbor stories. You will see interviews and some stories, but that’s about it now.”
Professor and chairman of the journalism department Jim Redmond worked in television news for 22 years. However, Redmond did not watch one minute of the news coverage.
“How many times do we need to revisit this tragedy,” Redmond said.
Redmond added that the overdone media coverage continues to play more on the emotional aspect of Sept. 11 than anything else, particularly on TV.
“Sept. 11 was a terrible thing,” Redmond said. “The media need to focus now on where we go from here. That’s true in print, TV and radio. Reliving Sept. 11 revisits the past. But the big question is what do we do tomorrow. Over-coverage can almost numb you to the horror of something like Sept. 11.”
