Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Lung Cancer Becomes a Hot Topic
With Sunday's death of ABC's Peter Jennings from lung cancer - and the news Tuesday that Dana Reeve is also battling the disease - lung cancer has suddenly become a hot topic.
It started with Jennings' death...PR people coming out of the woodwork, pitching experts who could talk about lung cancer. And, of course, each of these experts "has the perfect angle for your audience."
But, the emails, phone calls and faxes really started to escalate yesterday...with the news that Dana Reeve is ill. "Women and Lung Cancer"..."Lung Cancer and Non-Smokers"...and, of course, the ever-popular "You Can Survive Lung Cancer!"...those are just a few of the pitches that have been coming in.
You know, I don't doubt that most of the "experts" really do know something about lung cancer...and might actually have a valuable message. But, why wasn't it valuable enough to pitch me last week or last month or last year?
I almost find it offensive when PR pitches include the words "On the heels of the death of Peter Jennings and the terrible news about Dana Reeve...". But, I suppose the PR folks (that really is a tough job!) have to do whatever they can to get me to bite on their pitch.
ABC-TV will have a very nice retrospective on Peter Jennings' life and career tonight. I hope to watch at least some of it. Say what you want about Jennings' politics, but he really was a larger-than-life figure at the anchor desk. With Jennings gone - and Brokaw and Rather retired - we have likely seen the end of the prototypical network news anchor. In some ways, I suppose, that's a good thing...but, in other ways - as a kid who grew up with Cronkite, Brinkley, et al - I find it kind of sad.
It started with Jennings' death...PR people coming out of the woodwork, pitching experts who could talk about lung cancer. And, of course, each of these experts "has the perfect angle for your audience."
But, the emails, phone calls and faxes really started to escalate yesterday...with the news that Dana Reeve is ill. "Women and Lung Cancer"..."Lung Cancer and Non-Smokers"...and, of course, the ever-popular "You Can Survive Lung Cancer!"...those are just a few of the pitches that have been coming in.
You know, I don't doubt that most of the "experts" really do know something about lung cancer...and might actually have a valuable message. But, why wasn't it valuable enough to pitch me last week or last month or last year?
I almost find it offensive when PR pitches include the words "On the heels of the death of Peter Jennings and the terrible news about Dana Reeve...". But, I suppose the PR folks (that really is a tough job!) have to do whatever they can to get me to bite on their pitch.
ABC-TV will have a very nice retrospective on Peter Jennings' life and career tonight. I hope to watch at least some of it. Say what you want about Jennings' politics, but he really was a larger-than-life figure at the anchor desk. With Jennings gone - and Brokaw and Rather retired - we have likely seen the end of the prototypical network news anchor. In some ways, I suppose, that's a good thing...but, in other ways - as a kid who grew up with Cronkite, Brinkley, et al - I find it kind of sad.
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As a former newsie, I can tell you I was truly saddened to hear of Peter Jennings' untimely death. He was always a favorite of mine, and he had an incredible life and career.
As a current "minister of propaganda," I'd say there's definitely a fine line between exploiting illness and death on one hand, and trying to get the attention of a distracted and cynical public on the other. Michael J. Fox's advocacy for Parkinson's Disease is a good example.
If hearing stories on TV and radio about Jennings and Reeve gets more Americans to stop smoking, and more American elected officials to support banning smoking in bars and restaurants, I'm all for it.
As a current "minister of propaganda," I'd say there's definitely a fine line between exploiting illness and death on one hand, and trying to get the attention of a distracted and cynical public on the other. Michael J. Fox's advocacy for Parkinson's Disease is a good example.
If hearing stories on TV and radio about Jennings and Reeve gets more Americans to stop smoking, and more American elected officials to support banning smoking in bars and restaurants, I'm all for it.
Jennings' politics? I never saw him communicating his personal politics. I'm not sure what you mean.
I agree - I'm (fortunately, or unfortunately) remember the days of Walter Cronkite, Huntley and Brinkley and Frank Reynolds. All masters of their craft. I remember watching CBS and Walter Cronkite during the Kennedy Assassination - I was 9 years old. Why was our family watching CBS? My mother was a huge fan of As The World Turns. That's what she was watching when news of the tragedy took place...and that's where the dial was locked during coverage. Remember it was the first experience with "wall to wall" coverage that anyone could remember up to that time. Nothing but Kennedy and the aftermath until after the funeral. But I digress. In short - I agree Jennings' death and the "retirements" of the others - marks the end of an era in broadcasting.
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