Fox News Broadcast goes too far in coverage. . .

First, I want to say I didn't see this segment and would be interested in hearing from anyone who did.

Second, I don't get the sense this was Shepard Smith's fault. He's one of the few over at Fox I've respected. At least since Katrina, I have. There was a body of an old man covered in the roadway on an overpass in New Orleans that Shepard Smith came across. I thought he was going to just outright break down. He was among the only reporters I ever saw display real emotion during that crisis and it left me with a lasting respect for the man's approach and integrity as a journalist.

Having said that? The network he works for ....needs improvement, in my opinion and for some, that would come by wrecking ball, I know. However, even a Fox supporter can't agree with THIS one. Oh no... This was too far BY far.

PHOENIX (CN) - Fox News' broadcast of a man's suicide left his three young children with post-traumatic stress disorder, their mother claims in court.

Angela Rodriguez sued News Corp., Fox Entertainment Group and Fox News Network, in Maricopa County Court.

So what happened, you may wonder? Well, it started as a straight forward pursuit and end of chase. We see a hundred a year, at least in America. Nothing odd about that. It's how it turned out that is the problem here.

When Romero jumped out of the car and began running through the desert with a gun, "Studio B's host, Shepard Smith, began saying over and over to 'get off,' meaning to turn off the broadcast so as to not broadcast the events that were about to happen," the complaint states. Romero shot himself in the head.

"This suicide was broadcast live nationally," the complaint states. "Because Fox News did not delay the broadcast by even a few seconds - despite Shepard Smith's pleas to stop the broadcast - every person in the country watching the program saw the driver shoot himself in the head.

It sounds like Smith immediately deduced what was happening and about to happen. He's very experienced after all and I'd expect no less from a Journalist vs. a Teleprompter reader like most anchors have become. So..what went wrong?!

"Following the suicide, 'Studio B' went to an abrupt commercial break. Returning from the commercial break, Shepard Smith stated: 'Well, some 'splaining to do. While we were taping that car chase and showing it to you live, when the guy pulled over and got out of the vehicle, we went on delay. So that's why I didn't talk for about 10 seconds. We created a five-second delay, as if you were to bleep back your DVR five seconds; that's what we did with the picture we were showing you, so that we would see in the studio what was happening five seconds before you did so that if anything went horribly wrong, we'd be able to cut away from it without subjecting you to it. And we really messed up. And we're all very sorry.

That didn't belong on TV. We took every precaution we knew how to take to keep from being on TV and I personally apologize to you that happened. Sometimes we see a lot of things that we don't let get to you, because it's not time-appropriate, it's insensitive, it's just wrong. And that was wrong. And that won't happen again on my watch and I'm sorry.

(Source: Courthouse News) (Spacing Added by me)

The article and case summary go on to state that it was "severe human error", according to a Senior VP at the Network.

Well, yes, I'd say so. At the very least, severe would be the term I'd use as a starting point. Inexcusable, unforgivable, unprofessional, tabloid, mickey mouse and just outright amateur hour would be others that I believe fit the event.


Personally, I think Fox News owes these three kids whatever is required to make it right ...to the limited extent it ever can be. Nothing can erase what they saw and it's a scene NO child should ever have to see. That cannot be undone though and there is no rewind to TV or Youtube these days.

I think they can pay for what is required in going forward though and perhaps ease the pain the kids must deal with on a daily basis of seeing the scene replay endlessly and when least wanted.

This is what happens when the thirst for action, breathless police coverage and enthusiasm crosses into outright ghoulish. If they ride the line long enough, they will fall off. They fell a long way on this one.


(Please DO NOT post that youtube, please, even if someone has it or knows where it is).

Didn't this happen last year as well? I don't watch any TV but this seems like DejaVu all over again. Have nothing else to offer.

I remember this incident and it was truly horrible, and yes Foxnews went way to far. I remember when they cut back from commercial Shep was definitely affected and upset by what had just happened. I couldn't believe I had just seen it myself, and I immediately thought to myself "wow, what about the family of this man".

I've seen some pretty horrible stuff in my time, and while some might not understand this, at least when I witnessed what I saw I was somewhat prepared for it given the circumstances. This however was being broadcast, not only on national TV but around the world as well, and was a very graphic experience to show on TV....news or not.

I don't remember all of the details of it as far as what happened prior to start the chase, and I don't even remember when exactly it was but I do remember watching it as it happened.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


yes its all very sad.

I think live tv isn't a place for gratuitous violence or sex and the laws which are currently in place will decide what the network deserves in court. As it should be. I'm conflicted with the actions of the father being seen on live t.v. and the broadcasters liability in this case. This was what the father did to his children and where the majority of the damage comes from.

I would hope we all don't misplace our anger and outrage on simply being shown the truth rather than where it belongs... the father.

I am confused.
This backwards world and it's contradictory beliefs are all very confusing especially in matters of death.

Ok so the "News" is suppose to report the truth of reality right?
And yet everyone gets mad at seeing reality?

Everyone actually does want to live in a fantasy world. This proves it.

You want to watch the news without seeing the ULTIMATE REALITY????

I think sheltering people from stuff like this facilitates and promotes it happening further.

Censorship is not acceptable.

And don't tell me it was "wrong" to show that on TV.
All they show is sex and death for the most part anyways.

It's my belief that it is RIGHT to see the truth, and that it is WRONG to censor it based off opinionated personalized decisions founded on one's own subjective morality.

I watched the YouTube video of it, and while he did say "get off, get off, get off, get off it!" it wasn't until after he shot himself when he said it. As soon as he shot himself they cut back to the studio.

I watched it on TV as it happened, it was on Fox and on local channel here in AZ. I know there is supposed to be a delay on live TV, but I don't know many seconds that is. Also unless you have a crystal ball there is no way to know what's going to happen BEFORE it happens.

Also to note there was no audio and it was not a close up shot since it was from overhead in a helicopter. There was no gore. The individual was running, stopped, put the gun to his head and then collapsed. The video feed was then cut.

I agree it could've been cut before he shot but I didn't see it as a gratuitous violence.

Nothing on "live" TV is live. There is at least 5 to 10 seconds of delay to prevent these kinds of things being aired.

No amount of money will get those images out of a person's head but it sure can help distract you from it.

I don't see in any way, shape or form these people will not be compensated for this. If they don't, there are some serious flaws in the legal system. They will get rich, I guarantee it.

So let's say I shoot myself and you recorded it. Now you showed it to other people on your website (that happens to have advertisements paying for it).

So my family can sue you for what I did to myself just because you happened to be there to record it?

That film is yours 100% I cannot sue you over it legitimately. It's your property.

Anything filmed in public space especially follows these conventions.

Just imagine the can of worms this could open? Suing people for taking pictures of you in public?

So it's Fox News fault that the father shot himself? I feel that the mother is stretching a bit on this. Not that I feel that it was right that it was aired, I just have issue with the idea of suing whenever an opportunity presents itself.I fail to see where this does anything but satisfy a selfish urge on the mothers part. The money won't change what happened and the legal process just prolongs the horrible trauma on the kids.

Originally posted by litterbaux
Nothing on "live" TV is live. There is at least 5 to 10 seconds of delay to prevent these kinds of things being aired.

No amount of money will get those images out of a person's head but it sure can help distract you from it.

I don't see in any way, shape or form these people will not be compensated for this. If they don't, there are some serious flaws in the legal system. They will get rich, I guarantee it.

Live TV isn't live.
The News is suppose to be censored to protect our fragile minds.

And....to top it off....

You can sue someone for filming a suicide in public for "trauma".

Forgive me for laying it out as it is.

I actually saw this live the day it happened. What a trippy thing to see too. Your description of it is pretty close, although Smith didn't say anything about stopping it until it happened. The suicide literally caught everyone off guard and nobody new it was about to happen. That's what was so shocking about it. Right when it happened however, Smith repeatedly did say, as you quoted, to get it off the screen. Oddly enough whoever was in control of things that day was "asleep at the wheel" because even after it happened and Smith was repeating "get it off, get it off" it still took a few seconds before it cut away. I imagine someone got canned big time that day!!

The whole thing was kinda weird too. All it showed was a car racing around totally alone without anyone in pursuit but driving very fast and changing direction and roads now and then out in the middle of nowhere. Then it drove off the rode, into an open area. The guy gets out, starts running from the car and acting a bit strange in a way that I can't really describe, stops, shuffled around a bit, then real quick, gun to head and flops on the ground. All being filmed from a copter above.

Strange stuff.

Fox sucks, MSNBC sucks, divide and conquer is the plan.

Originally posted by joeym1991
Fox sucks, MSNBC sucks, divide and conquer is the plan.

"I am here to TELL YOU my censored filtered opinion of what the news MIGHT BE, and you should take my word for it. I show emotion when people die you can trust all my journalism. Never mind I work for Satan, gotta work from in the system to beat it right?

Now sit back and eat some toxic laden "food" and trust in my very nicely twisted phraseology. "

That is what they would say if the news were honest about itself.
And look at how upsetting it is for people to have their fantasy world shattered by a minor mistake.

"Awww I was watching this for entertainment during dinner!"

Truth of reality and the mainstream news don't seem to mix well at all. I think the MSM is allergic. This is the allergic reaction. Apologizes for giving truth for once. Won't happen again we are assured.

Here ya go...

I haven't watched cable teevee in years; I pick and choose a few programs both news and fiction from the internet to watch. I also watched in real time in 1963 when Lee Harvey Oswald was murdered live. I was ten at the time and sitting in the living room alone, watching the news coverage in rapt awe, realizing it was history unfolding.

Oddly, even though I didn't see this particular incident live, I did manage against my will to be subjected to it somewhere else. I remember the helicopter overhead shot and the car nearby and the guy dropping, that's about it; but here I try to avoid this kind of stuff and I still get it thrown at me, probably in a discussion of whether it's 'appropriate' coupled with ever more gratuitous violence, even though for a discussion, no video was necessary, only a description.

So let me ask this: does Fox or other news channels show depleted uranium babies over in Iraq? You want horrific, that's as ghastly as it comes, and DU is on the winds worldwide now. We haven't only poisoned forever the cradle of civilization in the name of 'bunker busters', we've also poisoned ourselves. Your son will bring home that stuff in his gonads to be passed onto your grandchildren.

Do they show the 'collateral damage' civilians including infants, children, women and old men with parts blown off, funerals, etc.? Is this not news-worthy, our money is paying for it...?

The news tonight has been all about the whistleblower Snowden and how he's made it more difficult to 'catch the terrorists' now that Americans know every communication they have is being archived.

No one EVER in tonight's discussions all over the news media asked what we can do to make fewer terrorists. Like stop bombing and occupying foreign soil. Nope, it was all about how this one kid with a GED and some computer skills was given access to top secret clearance projects and the ability to hack anyone, anywhere.

reply to post by muzzleflash


I always think it's strange when they spend 3 hours showing helicopter footage of a "chase". I guess some people think it's entertainment.

I like Shepard Smith - he's one of my favorites, along with Cavuto, Judge Jeanine and Napolitano, Krauthammer - not a big fan of O'rielly anymore.

I think the "entertainment" value sometimes over-rides common sense - I feel for the family, but I hope it doesn't compromise Shep anymore than it obviously already has.- especially financially - it's the producers and executives fault.

reply to post by Happy1


I disagree.

The guy who shot himself, it's his fault.

How is this in any way the media's fault?

So the family would NOT be traumatized had it not been televised?
Yeah right, I bet they don't even watch FOX...

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


I saw it live. It wasn't overly graphic as it was filmed from a news chopper at a distance so it wasn't extremely detailed. Regardless of that there's always a 5-20 second delay on live TV and there's no reason they shouldn't have been able to edit it out or cut to commercial. At the very least they could have blurred the image so the family didn't have to watch the red mist spray from his head on national TV. What was probably more traumatic to the family was one of the anchors chuckled when he said what just happened, I'm pretty sure it was an involuntary reaction to the horror he saw, but still inappropriate to air nonetheless.

But wait a second...

News of the suicide spread through the children's school, and "generated considerable buzz among the students at the school, particularly with respect to the two older boys," Rodriguez says.

When her two older children got home from school, they found a clip of the broadcast on YouTube, and "(a)s they watched, they realized in horror that they were watching their father."

1. Nobody in the family saw the live broadcast.
2. Nobody in the family saw it on FOX news
3. The children found the clip on Youtube and either
- were too stupid to realise this "man commits suicide after car chase" clip might be their dad while they were watching it before it got to the part where he shot himself, or
- ACTIVELY sought out the video when they got home from school.

FOX might have messed up here, but they cant be held responsible for what other people did later on.