What Was NBC Thinking?

Yesterday, it was announced that NBC had received a mailing from the Virginia Tech shooter and that the network had immediately forwarded the materials, including a video, photographs, and writings to investigating authorities in Virginia.

I cheered when I heard about NBC's response. In what appears to have been exclusive possession of a mass killer's last will and testament, the network chose not to air any of it. They'd opted, I thought, to be responsible by refusing to give the killer his wish for additional attention and more importantly not giving encouragement to other twisted people to go out in a blaze murderous glory.

But it didn't take NBC long to reverse itself and begin airing the video, displaying the pictures. What were NBC decisionmakers thinking?

It's a good bet they were thinking about ratings. Unfortunately, tabloid journalism pays. With The Nightly News now supplanted by ABC's evening news program and with MSNBC in a quality tailspin since Dan Abrams, he of the true-crimes doc-block fame, took over that network. (Except for Chris Matthews, who is excellent, and Tucker Carlson, who is good.) NBC appears to have weighed the reasons for and against showing the killer's video and his disturbing pictures and decided that rating points were more important than civic responsibility.

I've been a fan of NBC and MSNBC news for years. But where have they mislaid their consciences? Apparently, I'm not alone in my revulsion, either with NBC or all the other editors who, after NBC made its decision, then felt that they "had" to showcase the rantings of a madman.

[UPDATE: Read the outstanding thoughts of Deborah and Charlie in the comments section.]

[UPDATE: Brian Williams' defense is a variation of the child's "everybody else is doing it" argument. Nonetheless, Williams is to be commended for making himself more accessible than most anchors do.]