TV and Movies

[Annabellethecat66]

So I just watched a video on ABC news where young female college students are being interviewed about the attempted abduction of another female college student.

These young women were beautiful! I assume the young girl was probably pretty, but even if she or the people (not just females) were as ugly as a rat, their names should not be put up on that screen!

Good grief! That's like saying, "Here I am". If it was someone who was angry with another person (say a male) and a male was being interviewed, anyone would know exactly where to look them up (google maps, for one). Nothing is private anymore!

I see this over and over and it infuriates me. Yet it continues. Here we have a college campus, these people obviously go there. So, the one girl wasn't stolen this time. How do the police (or anyone) know these three men wouldn't think, "Hummm.....those on TV are good."

How do you guys feel about it? I put it here because I hope we can discuss it without arguing but give our feelings about it. Here on the TV category we've all always been good about that.

Sometimes I see or feel a way and I wonder if maybe I'm over reacting or perhaps there is another side to something. That is why I value the opinion of others (as long as it doesn't become personal and people don't start arguing about something that has no direct answer).

What do you guys think? What would be the benefits of putting the names of any of these or any people up on the screen? If they had to identify them they could use first name or give a made up name.

What say you guys?

[Annabellethecat66]

I forgot to add perhaps I feel so strongly against this because I am constantly after my adult daughter about posting so much about her life (where she goes) on Facebook.

I am always worried about stalkers. My daughter is single.

[Marp2]

I'm pretty sure the media will withhold the name of a person being interviewed or a witness upon request. I see that quite often and even routinely see a witness or victim only videoed from behind so their features are not seen.

[Annabellethecat66]

I know from experience they ask your name, you give it. Back then you had to remember to tell them not to post it.

I'll bet you have to remember to tell them not to post the full name. Most young people (or people in general), myself included, never thinks to say, "Don't put my full name out".

I'm sure some reporters ask. Thinks are so lax these days (privacy) they probably don't even ask.

[Tinkrbl44]

I was stalked for 18 months, so I've become a real privacy nut.

Don't they have to sign a release .... or they have to state and spell their name and affirm that yes, their image can be used on the newscast.

Additionally ..... if someone talks to a reported with a camera person there, it's pretty obvious they don't mind ....

[Annabellethecat66]

It's amazing to me how naive people are. With privacy especially. Thanks for weighing in. As the mother of 3 daughters, I guess my late husband and I were crazy people about their privacy.

Different world. I'm glad I'm not raising children.

[mewsmomtoo]

I think you are right to be concerned because nowadays we have social media and the internet. It used to be if your name appeared on TV someone would have to work pretty hard to find you, now it is a matter of a few clicks.

I can see that interviewees might have to sign releases for the TV station or at least give them their full name, but, if that is true, the station could easily have a policy of just using people's first names on the screen. Makes sense to me.

[Cyndog]

I'm with you, there truly isn't anything private anymore. People don't think a thing of posting pictures of others and telling where they are and they don't care if you look hideous or not, it really irks me. Kids tweet anything private going on in their home, one can't even be the first one to see your own wedding photos, they're on the Internet before you're home from the reception and apparently no one thinks a thing of it. If you google yourself, your name, age, spouse's name, addresses, what you paid for your house, your parents' name all come up. It's all creepy to me.

[keri]

As a retired broadcast journalist, I can say with certainty that most people - no matter how dire the circumstances or serious the misfortune they've just suffered - can't wait to get their faces on TV. I've never understood this desire for immediate and massive ego-gratification. That need to feed one's sense of self-importance only underscores Andy Warhol's assertion decades ago, "In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes." Perhaps we can now add "infamous/notorious" to that due to ubiquitous recording devices constantly feeding the Internet, social media, 24-hour news cycles, pervasive paparazzi, celebrity-obsessed fans, etc.

When approached by a reporter seeking comment or reaction, one always has the right to decline. If one feels compelled to respond, there are various ways to protect and ensure privacy. Simply request: (1) to remain anonymous; (2) to be identified by first name only or better yet, by a pseudonym; (3) to be recorded with one's back to the camera; (4) to be recorded in silhouette with identity disguised through wardrobe, makeup and electronic voice distortion.