The world has been in shock over the past weekend as American broadcasting giant — Cable News Network CNN , went well beyond it call of duty and willingly entered the crime scene where toddlers were massacred just days ago. Thai and international journalists who have been covering the event since the time it happened have not had access to any details from within the daycare center, the scene of the most horrific incident of October 8 th. It is not just the fact the media was not allowed in the crime scene, even if they were allowed the media should not be showing those scenes as it is something that is too gruesome, and it aches that such horrendous incident could have happened in our country.
Even if the access was given, not many mainstream media houses would have opted to show the crime scene due to the sensitivities of the case. Thai Enquirer, a start up that began its operations on January 15, , seems to have been more responsible than the likes of CNN because the news agency did not show any pictures of blood or killing that was widely available, not because we did not have access to it but because we did not see fit to show pictures of how gruesome the incident was.
No dead bodies, no blood, no pictures of blood in coffin or others were shown by even a rookie news agency such as us, but then we are not CNN are we. The Thai authorities let the 2 CNN reporters go scott free as the duo made an apology statement and were reprimanded with just 5, Baht each in fines. What the Royal Thai Police does not explain is how they came up with that fine because as per Thai laws, reporting based on a tourist visa, which both Daniel and Anna entered the country with, is illegal.
To make matters worse, even CNN has not given any kind of indication of what it would do to its journalists who have tarnished its image and reputation except to stand-by with the reporters claims that they were allowed and that the gates were locked, and police cordoned off the area after Anna and Daniel went into the day care for just minutes.
Every account of statement made by the Anna and Daniel is full of flaw but then CNN always stands by its journalist, no matter if they are even wrong. Read the story in that ran on April 7, From the looks of it, the once glorious days of CNN are now numbered, if not already in the twilight zone. CNN, that was once the go to place for news now seems to have lost its path and is struggling to keep itself relevant in the new era of journalism.
