The Journalistic Enemy of GA Stirkes Again

[Floatsflyer]

This recently aired TV news piece from ABC Nightline makes my blood boil. It's so ignorant, error filled, slanted, biased, unbalanced, poorly edited, frought with misinformation, and all designed to provide a sensationalistic rant on how unsafe GA is. The voice-over commentary/rhetoric provides a distortion of public perception with the intent to scare the s**t out of them.

Once agian, it's irresponsible journalism at its worst and so damaging to our collective passion. The hyperboly of the words chosen in the voice-over will make you want to commit a felony.

The instructor in the story who obviously believed in the best intentions of the reporter when first approached to do the piece on how to recognize and recover from unusual attitudes, must now feel so duped and betrayed because the story was aired as "public beware of the dangerous and frightening aspects of GA". Keep in mind that the instuctor footage was shot a few months ago and then re-edited with inserts of the high profile accidents of the past 10 days. You should also know that the "reporter" is a pilot! He should be ashamed of himself. Nightline, once a pillar of respected and responsible journalism, should be ashamed.

Now go to your windows, open them wide and shout out, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore." Better still, can the guys make sure Advocacy sees the piece for any action they may see fit to express. We need to counter this crap!

http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/vide...dents-18760718

[WLIU]

For what its worth, those folks apply the same jounalistic standards to every other topic. I recall there was some sort of vehicle test where they did something out of the ordinary to get a fire started. I think they might have been sued over that.

If you watch these programs, do not be surprised if your IQ is lower afterwards.

I will suggest that rather than wasting your time watching TV, you should be whittling airplane parts. Much more constructive.

Best of luck,

Wes
N78PS

[Floatsflyer]

I will suggest that rather than wasting your time watching TV, you should be whittling airplane parts. Much more constructive.

Wes
N78PS[/QUOTE]

Can't do that. If we don't monitor the press, voice complaints and displeasure and stay vigilant, then we invite repeated abuses.

[steveinindy]

I recall there was some sort of vehicle test where they did something out of the ordinary to get a fire started. I think they might have been sued over that.

The use of something akin to a model rocket engine to ensure ignition during a "crash test". If memory serves, it was Dateline NBC but don't hold me to that.

[eiclan]

in the time it took to watch that drivel you could have,sanded something,cut ,welded,measured,perused,admired any number of things or bit, or dare I say it but to keep the other half that puts up with your obsession happy by doing one of those things she has been asking for for months.By watching you just encourage them. Cheers Ross

[Floatsflyer]

in the time it took to watch that drivel you could have,sanded something,cut ,welded,measured,perused,admired any number of things or bit, or dare I say it but to keep the other half that puts up with your obsession happy by doing one of those things she has been asking for for months.By watching you just encourage them. Cheers Ross

And by taking a position of institutionalized ignoring by not watching, monitoring, voicing disapproval and keeping the media accountable for innacurracies and distortion, you will encourage, invite and guarantee more of the same. If you continue to support an ignorance is bliss attitude, then be assured one day you will no longer be able to sand, cut, weld.........guaranteed!

[WLIU]

I will suggest that rather than waste your effort writing to the media members who will never give you any positive resopnse, you should instead take the time to find a local media, TV or print, reporter and take them flying. Rent an airplane if you have to. Make a friend of aviation. The great opportunity is to create numbers of aviation friendly media rather than try to change the mind of individuals who don't care. Now this is harder work, but more constructive than just venting at someone who does not care.

The same holds true of your local politicians. Find ones that are disposed to be friendly, or ones that have not formed an anti-aviation opinion, and take them flying.

And fly Young Eagles.

Wrestling with anti-aviation people is a lot like wrestling with a pig. Doesn't accomplish much and the pig just might like to wrestle for the sake of wrestling.

Best of luck,

Wes
N78PS

[Victor Bravo]

Please see my thoughts related to this on another thread about "Sport Aviation". This all needs to fall under the same PR campaign, and what we need to do is create a downside for the journalists. They have no downside to unfair reporting, so they do it without a second thought. If you punch me in the nose, and nothing happens, you'll do it again. If I do something after you punch me, then you may think twice before doing it again. A downside (legal, financial, whatever) needs to be created.

Ten thousand letters to the sponsors who advertise on their news show, each containing several box tops or UPC codes cut out of their product packaging, and a vow to remove those products from ten thousand shopping lists, will get the attention of even Procter & Gamble.

There is a possibility of filing a class action suit by 200,000 EAA and AOPA members for "trade libel" or some civilian version of fraud. This would take a dedicated fundraising effort to hire a big enough law firm that frightens the media's law firms. Of a very large pro bono donation by a group of lawyer EAA members if such a group exists. Very expensive but a worthy fight for our own survival.

[martymayes]

This recently aired TV news piece from ABC Nightline makes my blood boil. It's so ignorant, error filled, slanted, biased, unbalanced, poorly edited, frought with misinformation, and all designed to provide a sensationalistic rant on how unsafe GA is. The voice-over commentary/rhetoric provides a distortion of public perception with the intent to scare the s**t out of them.

Okay, I watched the same clip and didn't have that type reaction. The underlying premise is correct. Ho hum, back to our regulary scheduled programming.....

[Floatsflyer]

Okay, I watched the same clip and didn't have that type reaction. The underlying premise is correct. Ho hum, back to our regulary scheduled programming.....

Fair enough. We all react differently to various emotional stimuli. In your case, could be because of:

a. Don't care
b. Apathetic
c. Ambivalance
d. Seen it so often and numbed by the experience
e. All the above