We're on camera, I need for you to emote for me, NOW.

Why do these parasites they call reporters like to get up in the faces of people who have just found their deceased loved one and ask how they feel.
I am speaking specifically of a nationally syndicated morning talk show aired from Sri Lanka which showed a mother who had just found her daughter in a ditch. The unfeeling creep was up in this mother's face, while tears streamed down her cheeks, asking her how she felt.
He did not let it go at that, tho. He kept questioning her, trying to draw out every emotion he could. Meanwhile, I began screaming at the unthinking clod to give the woman some privacy.
Couldn't he just gently say to the woman that we are sorry for your loss and leave it at that?????

Has anyone noticed this happening more frequently these days?
It is like they are turning a knife in people at their time of grief.

Rant over.

As far as they are concerned, other people's tragedy is their ticket to fame and fortune. They are the scum of the earth.

I totally agree.

What a tragic shame.

in the broadcast industry.

There is a huge amount of pressure from the managers now for reporters to come back with "good stuff". A crying survivor or relative is what the bosses want, and the (usually green or stupid) reporter knows that to keep the job you gotta give the boss what he or she wants.

Now, more than ever, they hire kids who have the poorest skills. They look good, tow the company line, and take Magid (or other consultants) direction well.

It's sad. Ever since news started to make money, as opposed to being a lost leader, the whole business has gone to hell. It's attracted those who are not in it for noble purposes, but for the bottom line.

to get the mom's true emotional reaction.

after one of them years ago I remember watching somebody go off on an MSNBC reporter. He had just said he was 15 and had witnessed his best friend get shot. The reporter asked how he felt. The teen started screaming how the f*ck could you ask me that, how would you feel?

As long as people don't let the press know they're outraged when they act like that it will continue. Of course when dealing with grief most people don't think to tell off the reporter but viewers can still let them know they want to see people to be treated with respect.

After working with a whole lot of them over the years, I know that the publics perception is they always ask "how do you feel?" It is a pretty verboten question anymore. It's been replaced with "What are you thinking about this?" Not much better, but most of them know they'll be flamed for asking about how the victim feels.

I experienced this kind of up close and personal a few years ago when our stations helicopter crashed and killed two good friends of mine. As I walked out of the station, there were some newspaper reporters in the lobby waiting to corral staffers for a quote they could put in the morning paper. I couldn't talk, I was crying and just brushed passed. (AND I'm a member of the media OK?)

I went to the local media watering hole that night, needing some liquid solace, and a young woman reporter I had been seeing off and on and who worked for one of the papers walked right up and bought me a drink.

I appreciated here condolences and all that but about 10 minutes into our conversation, I said, "Hey, are you interviewing me?"

"Sorry," she said, "Just doing my job."

Never went out with her again.