Hey NBC — death does not sell
Editor
He was preparing for what might’ve been the best moment of his life — competing in the Olympics. But for luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, the Olympic dream ended with one heartbreaking practice run just hours before the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Games in Vancouver.
Like so many other nameless Olympic athletes, there’s a good chance he would’ve slipped under the world’s radar, but now we all know his name.
Chances are we’ve all seen him die, too.
The death of an Olympic athlete is nothing less than front-page news, certainly. It was news that needed to be reported. Everyone who heard about it wanted to know the details. But was it necessary for NBC to show the video of him flying off his sled and hitting the steel pole three times before the opening ceremonies?
NBC issued a disclaimer the first time. I watched anyway, because I was curious; I had no idea how an accident like that could occur. It wasn’t bloody or graphic, but the footage was still shocking. When the network showed it two more times, with no warning, I was appalled.
I don’t think there could’ve been a worse time to show the video repeatedly. Children were watching. Was this something they needed to be exposed to? Obviously, death can’t be hidden from them, but I don’t think it needs to be shoved in their faces, either.
Television networks always crave high ratings, but if that’s why NBC chose to show the accident so many times, it’s a moronic reason. It was about to showcase the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, not a “Days of Our Lives” re-run. Showing it once could be defended as news-worthy; showing it three times in a matter of minutes is simply tasteless.
Television has officially hit a new and undignified low.
Where’s the respect, NBC? Respect for Kumaritashvili, his family and friends and your viewers? It’s bad enough that his family had to see him die, but if, by chance, they had to watch it again and again? That’s torture.
Sometimes, once is more than enough.
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