politics

Bloggers Express Guilt, Anxiety, Disgust Over 9/11 Replay

Bloggers are not too happy about CNN Pipeline’s all-day, real-time re-broadcast of 9/11/01 coverage today.

September 11, 2006

On the fifth anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington D.C., CNN Pipeline, the network’s relatively new Internet television service, began its all-day, real-time re-broadcast of CNN’s 9/11/01 coverage at 8:30 this morning.

“In a move to get CNN Pipeline attention as a viable option for live online news feeds, the coverage will be made available for free on the broadband video service that usually costs $2.95 per month, or $24.95 a year,” reports Red Herring, a business blog.

“In many ways and to many people, it was the day that changed everything,” explains David Payne, senior vice president and general manager of CNN.com. “And while difficult, for many of us it is important to remember the emotion of that day … on this September 11, as we reflect on what has happened to our nation and our world, it is important to remember, but even more important not to forget.”

Few would argue with Payne, but the broadcast also raised other issues for bloggers.

The most common emotion voiced by bloggers was guilt over even watching the feed, which runs until midnight tonight. “I admit, I am going to watch CNN Pipeline … I didn’t see this from the beginning and want to watch the first reactions (I was asleep at 9 a.m. back then),” writes Tina from North Carolina.

Many expressed general discomfort over watching the footage. “I was fairly certain that I’d be able to set emotion aside and watch CNN Pipeline’s replay of the real-time coverage from a purely intellectual level,” admits Mesmerization Eclipse. “Still, though, just now, I felt a massive, almost heart attack-level jolt when I saw that second plane for the first time.”

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Other Web scribes reacted with cynical grumbling.

“Coverage of 9/11 on TV has already been relentless over the weekend in preparation of the big day of ‘renewing resolve’ as Bush says,” the Red Tory from British Columbia complains. “In a collective display of manufactured grief and ghoulish self-indulgence, countless memorial services and ‘vigils’ are being held all over the United States and Canada.”

On American soil, some question the potential for schadenfreude. Cup of Joe Powell approaches the issue with a series of questions that he subsequently answers: “Is It Remembrance or 9-11 Porn? So is this just shameless marketing of CNN’s Pipeline services? Will they sell new ads to new customers? Is this Remembrance or Tragedy as Porn?” After receiving several affirmations on the “comments” portion of his blog that the broadcast is indeed akin to porn, he replied, “It was porn then? Funny, I thought it was news. Now, all I can say is that to re-run the old footage from 8 a.m. til midnight is disgusting.”

“Do you know anyone throwing a party?” asks Mitts from Connecticut. “CNN is! They are showing all of their original footage on their pipeline all day. I think that’s atrocious, but they seem to think it’s the best way to show the nation how much they care.”

Mark Boyer was a CJR intern.