Fox News accidentally shows suicide live
While carrying an Arizona station's feed of a high-speed chase this afternoon, Fox News showed a man apparently committing suicide.
Fox News accidentally shows suicide live
Ellen Gray, Daily News TV Critic
While carrying an Arizona station's feed of a high-speed chase this afternoon, Fox News showed a man apparently committing suicide.
Fox News anchor Shepard Smith, who'd been doing commentary during the aftermath of the chase (in the clip posted on YouTube, apologized almost immediately, according to ABC News, which reports that the chase, along the I-10 outside Phoenix, had begun with a carjacking.
"We really messed up and we're all very sorry," he said, according to ABC. "That didn't belong on TV... I personally apologize to you that it happened."
"It's insensitive and it's wrong," he said of airing the shooting.
In the clip I saw (I wasn't watching at the time and so far I've not seen enough of the "chase" to gauge the context), a man is running down a hill. "It looks like he's a little disoriented or something," Smith remarked, as the subject began running erratically. "It's always possible the guy could be on something."
As he spoke, the man could be seen pulling something out of his pocket and then placing it against his head. Then, as the man slumped, the camera cut away and Smith appeared back in the studio, watching the feed and shouting, "Get off, get off, get off...Get off it!" as if unaware that the feed was no longer onscreen.
In the clip posted on YouTube, Fox News then cut to commercial. ABC News quoted Smith as saying there'd been a five-second delay on the feed, but it wasn't cut off in time.
Honestly, I'd understand how someone, watching this, might have taken a few seconds to react.
The real question, though, should be this: What's the most-watched cable news operation doing running high-speed chases with no apparent national implications, anyway?
Fox News is a first class operation. I'm stunned.— scoobysnacks- Fair, Balanced, and Unafraid.— BobbyD
- Fox news does nothing by accident.— ajcoia
- High-Speed chases are nothing new and are a staple of most major news channels. Smith's show is generally a recap of stories that occurred or are occurring throughout the nation - coverage of this police chase was totally within the parameters of programming. Human error was to blame for the failure to cut-away before the suicide.— JamesIgnatius
- There's only one rationale they could have had for airing it: they did so and then said "Sorry you had to see that, but after all, it's Obama's fault."— len p
- you stay classy republicans.
- Yeah idiot, it's a republicans fault an unstable guy shot himself. Well said— Jersey Girl11
- "What's the most-watched cable news operation doing running high-speed chases with no apparent national implications, anyway?"
Ellen Gray: Ironic. People are wondering the same thing about your web site when they publish breaking news stories about dog and cat deaths. It's funny to see the garbage shoveler complaining about the trash nextdoor.— Bob1 - Fox News shows suicides by accident. MSNBC shows Al Sharpton and Chris Matthews on purpose. Who's classier in the long run?— EaglesPhilliesIrish
- hysterically funny and true — advantasux
Comment removed.- Sadly, there are many people who diligently watch Fox's T&A, "fair and balanced" news and they take its news seriously. Actually, Fox News is one step above a tabloid. The airing of a suicide by that channel is just one more thing.— Anne Arkey
- just one step??? Anne you shouldn't insult tabloids like that — VoiceofReason50
- How can anyone say they are the most watched cable news operation when they have yet to ever air any factual news since they first signed on????— VoiceofReason50
- Sheppard Smith is the only anchor or talking head on the whole network who has a shred of decency. It's a shame it was broadcast on his show.— wokmaster
- just a bunch of sheep here today. all going down to their demise while dragging the country along with them.— advantasux
- Never mind it's just a mild indiscretion in the pursuit of excellence in journalism....
Isn’t it time you aimed for a career as a tabloid junk journalist too? Fox always knows best...
http://scallywagandvagabond.com/2012/09/video-live-car-chase-suicide-leaves-fox-presenter-freaking-out/— scallywag
