Hypocrisy Watch: Paparazzi-News Takes the High Road When Covering Friends

When two TV helicopters collided over Phoenix a few minutes ago, the lone news chopper still hovering in the sky refused to zoom in on the crash site. The pilot/reporter explained it thus as his cameraman zoomed in then zoomed back out:

"This is very bad up here...I don't want to get in too close and broadcast something this tragic. The people in those helicopters could be really good friends of ours."

Now the hypocrisy is obvious. Minutes before, these news crews were all frothing for the same story, a police chase on the streets below, and were none too hesitant to crank up the magnification in hopes of getting a tasty gun fight on tape for the major networks. When it comes to the other guy, the press' indelicate need to "inform the people" always trumps privacy and decency. However, when the story gets too personal, morals and ethics take over.

Which is it? If my hypothesis is correct--that there is no such thing as hypocrisy--then you have to identify the lie. Here, the lie is "the people have a right to know." Obviously, if it involves something personal as in this case, that right can be arbitrarily suspended. So why does the press insist on being voyeuristic vampires? All the usual suspects: greed, pride, influence.

So the next time you hear the media spout their mantra "we want the people to know," watch their lips. What they're really saying is "we want money, notoriety and power." No different than the people like me and you they are trying to take down.

Posted also at Sister Toldjah.

Captain Ed picks up on the lie here, too along with Ed Driscoll.