[lbo-talk] US TV to cover Saddam hanging 'with a measure of taste'

[Carl Remick]

[Glad to see US TV network execs are mindful of both their solemn obligation 
to serve history -- by grabbing an "iconic image" of Saddam swinging by the 
neck -- and their need to exercise "a measure of taste" to affirm what 
classy a operation American civilization is.  The war on Iraq has been 
executed with such exquisite finesse so far, I would hate to see it marred 
by anything gauche here at the endgame.]

December 29, 2006
TV Executives Debate Whether to Show Execution
By BILL CARTER

The apparently imminent execution of the deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein 
threw executives at television news organizations into hurried consultations 
today over how to handle pictures or video of the hanging.

Though it was not known whether images of the execution would be released, 
the news divisions at ABC and CBS said that, should video become available, 
they will show some visual documentation of Saddam’s death but will not use 
overly graphic images or show complete execution.

NBC News, however, indicated it might go further. Steve Capus, the president 
of NBC News, said that network may show “a wide shot of Saddam hanging.” He 
said NBC would make its decision based on questions both of taste and of 
history.

“I think it might be appropriate at some point to see an image of Saddam 
after he is hanged,” Mr. Capus said, citing previous historic images of 
dictators who had been killed. “I think about that iconic image of Nicolae 
Ceausescu in Romania, lying literally in the gutter,” Mr. Capus said. “I 
want to do this with a measure of taste, but I don’t want to stand in the 
way of history.” ...

<http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/29/business/media/29cnd-netw.html?pagewanted=print>

Carl

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