Earth to TVNZ

Last night I saw the item on the news about the bridge collapsing in China during rush hour traffic, it was shown at 6.22pm. I was thinking “Gosh, doesn’t this sound a bit familiar?”

On 1st August a bridge collapsed into the Mississippi in Minneapolis at 6.10pm local time (11.10am 2nd August NZ Time), it was first reported that 7 people are believed to be dead. This news led the TVNZ news bulletin along with the Brauer verdict. The story was very in depth with pictures along with the story, then crossing to no less that two internationals correspondents TVNZ’s own Tim Wilson and ABC’s Andrew Colton, the live crosses took up a total of 3 minutes as well as everything else, the story may well have had 5 or 6 minutes coverage.

Jump forward almost two weeks, 13th August 4.40pm local time (8.40pm 13th August NZ Time) a bridge collapsed in Fenghuang, China, it was first reported that “more than 20 people had died”. This story came 22 minutes into the new bulletin and took up a total of 19 seconds….literally 19 seconds.

Let’s figure this out, both bridges collapsed in rush hour traffic, both had fatalities (American for deaths). So why does TVNZ put more focus on what appears to be the less important/serious event?

In the Minneapolis story TVNZ had less than seven hours between event and live 6pm news bulletin, in that time they organised two international correspondents and made the decision to lead with the story. In Fenghuang they had more than 21 hours before the next live 6pm news bulletin and we get a 19 second piece at 6.22pm.

So a bigger tragedy, with more time to organise a story gets less coverage than a smaller tragedy with less time to organise…?

Anyone care to offer suggestions as to why this is?

Let's be honest, this is not a case of Earth to TVNZ, this is a case of Earth to the NZ Media. I am sure all the others followed suit, so let’s not necessarily pick on TVNZ. Lets ask the people who decide what we see on our screens what makes news in this country...

Nia Glassie

Cru and Chris Kahui - weeks old
Lillybing - 23 months old
Delcelia Witika - 2
James Whakaruru - 4
Coral Burrows - 6
Teresa Cormack - 6…and the list could go on…

What were you doing at 4.12 yesterday afternoon?

I was sitting on the couch watching the new series of Family Guy. Thinking about prep for tonight, emailing friends and family and generally wasting time.

What were you doing at 4.12 yesterday afternoon?

At 4.12 yesterday afternoon Nia Glassie’s name was added to the above list, at 4.12 yesterday afternoon after being taken off life support for a second time, 3 year old Nia Glassie died.At 4.12 yesterday afternoon with her natural father by her side, Nia Glassie’s fight finished.

I honestly don’t have a clue what to say about this, other than I am in shock, maybe it’s because I have a three year old, or maybe it’s because I just can’t fathom what we, the so called superior, most advanced species on the planet, do to one another…

I honestly don’t know what we can say, other than the innocent wee three year old never did anything wrong but she was dealt an unplayable hand of scumbags parents, family and caregivers.

We need to not forget Nia, as so many others get forgotten...until the next case.