This week, the news of both the Christina Grimmie and the Pulse nightclub shootings broke during my shift at a local news station.
Many people criticize the media coverage of such events, but working on the media's side of things gives you a whole different perspective. I've learned to appreciate what the national news outlets do for us amidst criticism from many negative people.
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This is not the type of article that I would normally write. As a media student, I like to write research articles with lots of factual support, challenge certain ideas that the media presents and sometimes even take part in criticism of the media. But, I need to show my appreciation for the media and journalists in this moment, and we need to realize all that they are doing to keep us updated - no matter what your opinion is.
The journalists who were assigned to report to this scene had no idea what they were getting into. They couldn't have known that the scene they were about to report to would later be declared the worst mass shooting in this country's history. An update from a reporter in Orlando at 3:26 a.m. only vaguely described the incident as a shooting with multiple injuries.
These people were all counting on hearing from police to be able to inform the public what was going on. In this case, the police department was receiving so many calls that they had to stop taking calls and report all updates over Twitter. This meant that people were glued to their phones for this entire time, as to not miss any updates.
There are so many members of the media who are working overnights and overtime on shifts they might not normally work to get us the latest information. They may be running on a lack of sleep and even food because they are so busy. Yes, it is their job, but it is never an easy one - especially in situations like this.
When we hear the live reports from journalists on TV, we don't know all of what they do, even though it may seem like they are giving us all the information. We never really have all of the details because we didn't experience it the same way they did. They are giving it to us in a way that we can handle.
We didn't have to witness any of it in person, but these people did. There is much more footage gathered that we don't see. We didn't have to talk with witnesses and family members. We didn't have to hear the gunshots and explosions. We didn't have to see the victims being carried off to the hospital right in front of us. Seeing all of this on a video is much different than seeing it happen right before your eyes.
There were reporters outside of the nightclub when the police decided to enter. They were not informed that the sound they heard was a controlled explosion by police until the Orlando PD updated their Twitter five minutes later (according to ABC News reporter Lauren Lyster). When there is an active shooter situation, five minutes is a long time to worry. Anything could happen.
Waiting for updates made me anxious enough at my station in Indiana. I can't even imagine how it must have been for those journalists and news producers down in Orlando and surrounding areas, to hear that this type of crime happened locally, to hear every update over the local police scanner (which could have been accessed from anywhere, but there's nothing like hearing it from the actual scanner right next to you). A local mass shooting is something you'd never expect to report on, and would hope and wish that you would never have to. It is also hard for journalists from all over the nation to report on the worst mass shooting on our homeland.
Thank you all for keeping your composure on air during a time where we feel the need to show emotion - especially in an industry where it is forbidden to show any sort of bias and to remain professional at all times - throughout all of the devastating updates. Thank you for working long and hard hours. Thank you for going through this traumatic mess for the sake of us.
