Sound recordings / videos of traumatic events

I agree with you Imperfect27.

There was a recording of a man telling people "to put the phone down and come and help me" which is unbelievable!

When I attended my community first responder training one of hte paramedics talked to us about dealing with people and situations we would face. If you are in a supermarket and taking care of a patient don't be surprised if someone asks you to pass a jar of pickles or whatever you are near for their shopping. Never mind the patient!

Yes, I think it went too far. It's voyerism rather than reporting. It is also repeated so many times, you just want to switch off, so the risk is that it just blunts you to the suffering.

I tend to switch off to excessive coverage, yes it's sad/tragic but I don't want it rammed down my throat.

I prefer newspaper coverage, I can always skim the article/turn the page whatever is appropriate. I'm not heartless but I don't need graphic images

I'm afraid this sort of thing is becoming more and more common on news reporting. They don't know when to stop.

I can't deal with anything like that at all, it's so awfully sad, I went to Paris 20 years ago and was adamant I didn't want to see where Diana died. In New York 7 years ago I couldn't face going to the site of the Twin Towers and was horrified when walking by Central Park to discover the crowds on the sidewalk were visiting the place where John Lennon was shot. It makes me tearful and I just can't understand the fascination

I suppose it's human nature. The opportunity to 'be the one' who actually made the recording or took the photo - something to talk [show off?] about with friends. I think it's ghastly and the BBC itself - and other channels - should take some responsibility. Why have reporters ALL DAY at a site of a traumatic event for heaven's sake!

What I have seen on breakfast news and chat shows, then all day and into the early evening should not be on until the late night news, goodness knows what the children make of it all. Just because it is true doesn't make it suitable for the kids to see and how hard it is to avoid it.

We are creating a world where this sort of incident becomes a titillation of sorts, people striving to do something more deadly and despicable than the last nutter did.

All the time we watch they will put it on.

The BBC and other media have forgotten how to present news. First the facts, then the aftermath. Cut out all those needless opinions and whys. When there are no new facts turn to other news.

I am reminded of those miners trapped underground in the Chilean mining disaster. Eventually all of them were brought to the surface in a specially made tube one at a time.

When the men were being brought up there was no need for the BBC to be there every second as there were periods of inactivity. Yet the BBC man was pushed again and again to talk to the locals to fill in the gaps. Sheer stupidity as the locals had already said all they could. We needed facts. Such as when the rescue started and when the last man came up. I kept hoping for an earthquake somewhere to force the BBC to other coverage.

I’m very torn on this one. On the one hand, I do not want to see voyeurism and sensationalisn. On the other hand, I think we owe it to the victims to know what they went through. Heaven forbid, but if anyone I know was in a dreadful situation I would want others to understand what they went through. It’s easy for it to be ‘brushed under the carpet’ and disregarded. I always think the Moors Murders have been remembered as such horrific events partly because of the harrowing recordings of victims. Had there been no graphic events for all to hear, those responsible might have received lesser sentences. Also, I believe it is our duty to visit memorials and remember victims rather than to ‘get the smelling salts out’ and ignore them.

Intrusive at best - unspeakable at worst.
Social media has a lot to answer for, but I fear people are deep down voyeuristc anyway.
Look at the queues on any motorway on the OPPOSITE carriageway driving past the scene of an accident for example.
But to then take pleasure or pride in relaying it further as in “look what I am seeing!” is crass in the extreme.
Actually the whole social media/phone thing stinks . Like all those smug FB posts “Look at me, I’m at Blah blah NT house/exotic beach/posh restaurant with dear friends, blah, blah, blah.
Never “I’m stuck at home, haven’t spoken to a soul bar the cat in 5 days, egg on toast today because the gas bill is due and my back hurts”
Remember when we were children “Look at me Mummy!”?
Not much different. And no wonder there are sad and lonely people everywhere under the illusion everybody is having a better time than them
Cynical, moi?

Yesterday a psychologist repeated his previous warnings on Twitter:
Never print the killer's picture or name
Police are searching for a motive, apart from the fact that he was ill, it might be that he wanted fame, to go down in a blaze of 'glory'?

Well the media haven’t taken a lot of notice of that have they?
How many column inches on him, his father, his career, his last few days, his brother?

Totally agree with you and we wonder why more people are mentally ill.
I think BBC 1 should just give a brief news update, no pictures, then return to "family viewing" If people want more, there is a 24 hour news channel

Totally agree Imperfect, I hate the news as the most gruesome headlines get hours of coverage, it is so unnecessary and terribly sad for the victims and their families. I have to switch off and think of other things.

Totally agree with loopylou and others - too much airtime is given to publicising these attacks and there is so much boring repetition.

Thank goodness that in the UK (as I understand it) civilians cannot get licences for automatic firearms following the Hungerford atrocity. Where there's no religious element involved, the perpetrators are usually very unhappy people who simply can't bear to see others enjoying themselves.

Of course ISIS will claim responsibility for any muderous attack these days. I saw an amusing tweet recently where someone lamented that their fridge freezer had blown up and challenged ISIS to claim responsibility.

When we had to wait in A&E with my mentally ill son recently, the TVs in every waiting area were tuned into rolling news, disaster events shows and the like. We realised this would be totally inappropriate viewing in his face and so spent about 15 of our 22 hours, including all through the night, sitting in a bleak corridor where all the gurneys were wheeled by. We figured that was slightly less traumatic! We did ask for a quieter space and there was a 'police room' that we were able to use at times. Seems very short-sighted provision to me. Something else I ought to write and moan about ...

Imperfect27 Please do contact the hospital and complain about this. I complained about the TVs in the area where my mum had to wait and received a very positive response. It isn't right and it isn't necessary. Your son is fortunate to have you to support him but many others may just sit there being more and more upset. These days people have access to all sorts of media on their phones etc if they need entertainment, TV isn't necessary.
And I agree about too much coverage, but at least we can turn it off.

Imperfect 27.Turn it off then.

Imperfect27. PS A/E should have been advised, by yourself, immediately you entered the hospital of your sons mental condition.

I absolutely agree. Enough already. At this point, news coverage seems to have reached an all time low - presenting this terrible incident like a Hollywood action movie.

You'd be quite justified in your complaint, Imperfect. There shouldn't be anything like this showing on the A & E screens. I certainly don't agree with sarahellenwhitney that it was in any way up to you to switch them off, or to explain why they would affect your son. Anyone working in a healthcare setting should surely be aware that coverage like this will be upsetting to some, if not most, of their patients, and act accordingly.

Trisher I have now written a 'measured' formal complaint.
Having spent nearly a whole day in A&E, we saw so much to applaud too and that has been mentioned as well.

If something is done about waiting room TV I will be so pleased.

sarahellenwhitney they were informed immediately.

I accept that I am 'sensitised' to 'traumatic' TV having lost a daughter in a traumatic accident. sarah I made a point of NOT watching the news for 2 days because I knew what the coverage would be like. Today's coverage was really scraping the barrel and yes, I did turn off. Silly me to have thought that after a couple of days there wouldn't be anything more left to wring out of it!

Imperfect I'm with you all the way. A few months ago I was in children's A&E with DGS and his mum, and the TV was burbling away with something inappropriate. I'm sure 'the chiefs' think that if they provide the likes of Jeremy Kyle or a non-stop news channel for us to be sedated by, we won't complain at the time we're kept waiting. In this instance they were very wrong as several parents/carers complained loudly and a member of staff made a big thing of finding the remote and switching channels to CBBC or something similar. We were lucky (?) as DGS needed an emergency operation so we weren't in that waiting room long.

One of my sons and his fiancée at the Luxor in Las Vegas as I write. They happen to be fine. Obviously I wish that they were home.
I do not want to see any pictures or gratuitous reports of people crying etc.
I myself have been involved in a tragic situation and had the TV camera thrust in my face.
IMO It doesn't do any good and in my opinion leads to copy cat events.