I-35W News Coverage
August 7, 2007
During rush hour on August 1st the I-35W bridge in Minnesota collapsed. At this point at least five lives have been lost and eight others remain missing. Indeed a tragedy of this nature is exceedingly rare and unexpected in our age of advanced science, technology, and engineering. Thus it was no surprise that coverage of the collapse dominated all forms of news media last week. As pictures, interviews, and analysis from the scene of the I-35W collapse continued to pour in through network and cable TV, talk radio, newspapers, magazines, and the Internet, all other news from our nation and world quickly faded into the background.
According to a study conducted by the Project for Excellence in Journalism of most major news sources, (Listed Here), the bridge collapse received the fourth most media coverage of any story in 2007. On cable news alone 69% of the “newshole” – the amount of time or total print space dedicated to actual news – from Aug.1st-Aug.3rd, was allotted to coverage of the bridge story. If you’re curious, the three stories that have received more news attention are:
1. The Virginia Tech shooting
2. President Bush announces the U.S. troop surge in Iraq
3. Syndicated talk show host Don Imus gets fired for racially insensitive remarks
Several questions come to mind in response to this article – What will be the long term effects of all the news coverage that has been devoted to this event? How many local journalists will be dispatched by their editors/producers to thoroughly investigate the safety of bridges in the areas that their viewers travel everyday? How many newspapers and television stations around the U.S. will hold local and federal authorities accountable to maintaining our public bridges and roadways to adequate standards of safety? Will anyone in the press move beyond describing the tragic I-35W bridge collapse and begin prescribing solutions for the future?
Now I’m in no way suggesting that all of the blame for future infrastructure breakdowns should be placed on the press, but right now I don’t think I’ve heard anyone in the press ask, “What role might the press play in preventing this type of thing from happening in the future?”. Although the final decision will rest with area officials, inspectors, contractors, etc. the press can, and must, play a role in mobilizing the public to action and holding the authorities accountable on this issue of great social consequence. My fear is that for the majority of news outlets, pictures of the wreckage and interviews with eyewitnesses were simply a means by which to spike ratings and sell ad space/time, but my hope is that a strong minority of dedicated journalists will raise their voices to not only describe the tragedy, but presribe a solution.
More to come on this very soon….
August 8, 2007 at 9:57 am
It’s funny you mention that…ABC “action news” in Toledo has already begun to be a thorn in the flesh not only for ODOT (Ohio Department of Tranportation) but MDOT. As a result Detroit and Toledo have already readjusted budgets to inpect our local bridges. Detroit has two bridges that are “nearly identical” to the I-35 bridge.
I had to wonder…does ABC really care about the safety of the bridges? Boring News doesn’t sell. The fact that Imus ranked number three in a world full of dangerous stock fluctuations (down 65 in one day?!?!), murder in Gaza strip, and national defit that has dropped to 205 bill, half of what it was in 2004 (see, there is some good news out there) stands as testimony to this, and to what Americans would classify as “boring news.” I would like to see a journalist who could bring less popular but more important topics to the forefront for the sake of “prescriptive” action.
August 8, 2007 at 5:26 pm
Here are some quick facts about the bridge from MPR (Minnesota Public Radio). Good resource for those seeking more info.
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/08/03/bridge_background/?rsssource=1
p.s. I wonder if Hurcon Inc. and Industrial Construction Company, the builder of the bridge, will be held liable for the fatal malfunction of their product.
September 9, 2007 at 2:59 pm
I live in Minnesota about one-hour’s drive away from the heart of Minneapolis/St. Paul. I can tell you that the shock and horror of that day was remniscent (on a smaller but still as profound)scale of 9-11. The people of Minnesota were the first, first-responders. They stepped up and down and in instantly and so helped to save many lives.
To your point: the Twin Cities television media are NOT asking the hard questions. They continue to cover this story as the visual it was/is. The Twin Cities newspapers, however, are trying to dig into this story. (See the Minneapolis StarTribune and St. Paul Pioneer-Press Dispatch.) How successful either paper will be depends on how much journalistic enterprise the editors are willing to budget and support.
September 9, 2007 at 3:29 pm
Thanks for the input EMM. Hopefully the work of the Minneapolis Star Tribune & St. Paul Pioneer-Press Dispatch will uncover some fruitful information that will help ensure that such a tragedy never happens again.