SHOULD TV REPORTERS HAVE INTERVIEWED KIDS AT NEWTOWN SHOOTING?

TV reporters — especially those working for the cable news networks — were being bombarded with criticism on Friday for interviewing children at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. In an interview with Dylan Byers of Politico.com, Bruce Shapiro, executive director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, suggested that the coverage represented “irresponsible journalism.” […]

GUNMAN SHOOTS GUARD AT OFFICE OF ANTI-GAY MARRIAGE GROUP

A gunman on Wednesday barged into the offices of the conservative Family Research Council (FRC) in Washington DC, reportedly shouted denunciations of the group, and shot a guard in the arm before being subdued by the wounded guard and others. The man was reportedly carrying sandwiches from Chick-fil-A, the fast-food chain, whose CEO supports groups […]

NEWS DILEMMA: OLYMPICS OR KILLINGS?

NBC News was faced with a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t dilemma over the weekend after seven persons were shot to death, including the perpetrator, and three were wounded at a Sikh temple in the Milwaukee suburb of Oak Creek. Should it cut away from its coverage of the Olympics to report on the events at the scene […]

SHOOTING COVERAGE TOPS FRIDAY’S RATINGS

CBS, NBC, and ABC on Friday dumped scheduled programming to present news specials dealing with the theater massacre in Colorado. Final ratings figures on Monday revealed that none of the specials individually drew a sizable audience, but together they accounted for more than 17 million viewers. CBS led off at 8:00 p.m. with a 748 […]

NO ESTIMATES FOR ANY FILM THIS WEEKEND

All major and independent studios have joined Warner Bros. in withholding weekend estimates in what they said was an effort to focus attention on the Aurora, CO shootings that occurred during a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises early Friday. Veteran box-office analyst Paul Dergarabedian of Hollywood.com said it was “the right way to […]

NO BOX OFFICE REPORTS FOR DARK KNIGHT RISES THIS WEEKEND

Warner Bros. announced late today that they will not be releasing box office figures for The Dark Knight Rises until Monday “out of respect for the victims and their families.” The Hollywood Reporter quoted a studio spokesman as saying that it would be “insensitive” to be talking about the numbers in light of the midnight […]

12 KILLED, 59 WOUNDED AT DARK KNIGHT RISES SCREENING NEAR DENVER (Update)

At least 12 persons have been killed and 59 wounded, many critically, in Aurora, CO, a suburb of Denver, after a masked gunman wearing body armor reportedly kicked open an exit door of a theater at 12:39 a.m., shortly after a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises had begun, set off a smoke or […]

THEATERS BEEFING UP SECURITY IN WAKE OF SHOOTING

Theater chains quickly acted to beef up security following the early morning shooting at an Aurora, CO theater showing The Dark Knight Rises that left at least 12 dead and as many as 50 injured. The Boston Herald quoted a spokesperson for one popular local theater, CinemaSalem, as saying that it was making sure that […]

VETERAN PUBLICIST RONNI CHASEN SHOT AND KILLED IN BEVERLY HILLS

Ronni Chasen, one of Hollywood’s longest-serving public relations representatives, was shot and killed as she was driving in Beverly Hills shortly after midnight after attending the premiere of a movie in Hollywood. A spokesman for the Los Angeles County Coroner/Medical Examiner said that she was found dead of five gunshot wounds in her Mercedes E-350 […]