CNN slammed over use of toy plane in MH370 coverage

[The Straight Story]

In the cutthroat world of television news, it is no surprise that the chase for ratings often takes precedence over the chase for the truth.

The US-based rolling news network CNN this week, however, took its round-the-clock coverage of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 to a whole new level.

The channel's presenters began using a scale replica of the missing airliner - essentially, a toy plane - to illustrate their coverage, pointing at parts of the scale replica much like a children's television presenter might interact with a toy.
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Reaction from the network's audience was swift, and derisive.

"A toy plane. That's real journalism right there," said one viewer on social network Twitter.


http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/cnn-slammed-over-use-of-toy-plane-in-mh370-coverage-20140319-351hq.html

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. I guess I don't see what the problem is.

I don't remember news coverage of a plane crash that didn't include somebody holding up a model (they aren't actually toys).

[TexasProgresive]

2. That was the way Air Traffic Controllers were trained

at Keesler AFB, Miss. There was a layout of an airport and the students would have model airplanes and were directed by the student ATC. For all I know it is still the way they do it.

I think this is one of those mountains being made out of nothing. I did not see it but I hope they used a fairly large scale model that would show good detail.

[Berlum]

3. CNN stole that "idea" from the classique SF film, Plan 9 from Outer Space

[treestar]

4. As a demonstrative aid

I see no problem with it. Would they complain of computer simulations?

[WinkyDink]

5. I think the objections are moronic. A "scale replica" is not a "toy." Time to ignore Tweets. It's

elevating random musings from random people to an undeserved level of care.

[lumberjack_jeff]

6. I still remember Jules Bergman

I guess people don't believe the news any more unless it comes with a computer animation.

[snooper2]

7. "slammed" LOL, a couple random people tweet = slammed

[JHB]

8. Entertainment reporter relays that some people on Twitter foamed...

...about the use of a model?

That's even less newsworthy than the "no further developments in the MH370 disappearance but we have to fill airtime anyway" coverage.

On the Richter scale of CNN's faults, this isn't exactly a 7.0 earthquake. More like somewhere between "ripe fart" and "stubbed a toe".

[HereSince1628]

9. I have no problem with a visual aid, but it sometimes bordered on the absurd

there was a segment wherein Wolf was pointing to the tail saying for the umpteenth time in 4 days "...the black boxes, which really aren't black but are orange, are located in the tail of the airplane, here..."

It was as if no one watching cable news knows what the f'ing tail/empennage of an aircraft is.