Arresting images of oil spill help drive story

[kpete]

Source: Associated Press

Arresting images of oil spill help drive story
AP


By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer David Bauder, Ap Television Writer – 54 mins ago

NEW YORK – For many following the news, the Gulf oil spill was an important but abstract story — until live video became widely available showing plumes of oil gushing into the water at a furious pace, hour after hour and day after day.

The undersea images were first seen publicly late last week and television news networks have used it more as this week goes on. CNN and MSNBC executives debated internally whether to keep the feed constantly on the corner of their screens, much like they do with menacing maps of approaching hurricanes. On Thursday, the videos allowed experts and laymen alike to evaluate whether BP's latest attempt to plug the leak by shooting mud into the well appeared to be working. It was hard to tell, but also hard to look away.

The video has become part of the story, and has increased the attention that news executives and news consumers are paying to the spill, said Bill Wolff, vice president of prime-time programming at MSNBC. The first pictures showed oil blackening the clear water around it like an out-of-control fire churning smoke into a clear sky.

"It's an amazing, startling, shocking, arresting and upsetting picture that is impossible to ignore," Wolff said.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100528/ap_on_en_tv/us_oil_spill_video

[Duer 157099]

1. Yep. Which is why they're showing the robots now

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8436893&mesg_id=8436977

[L0oniX]

2. Bomb the fucker.

[HopeHoops]

3. "Arresting" - we can only hope...

[charlesg]

4. "Markey was instrumental in pushing BP to make video feed public"

when everyone else was mouthing the BP party line.

[FailureToCommunicate]

7. Markey is a decent guy, and our district' Rep! Welcome to DU.

(You've been busy!)

[Uncle Joe]

5. The video was and is a necessary part of the story.

Thanks for the thread, kpete.

[Haole Girl]

6. Mud + Oil = muddy oil. NOT a clean-up. nt