Is CNN Blurring the Line Between Journalism and Heroism?
A video of CNN correspondent and news-celeb Anderson Cooper saving a young boy during an outbreak of looting in Haiti has been circulating the Internet since yesterday.
To cynics, this was simply a PR ploy; to those wearing rose-colored glasses, this was an act of unvarnished heroism. I'll go out on a limb and suggest it's a bit of both.
Anderson Cooper is known for getting into the thick of things and at times putting himself in harm's way. In fact, he has an entire blog dedicated to him. He's known for being a bit of an attention-grabber who enjoys the rush of stepping over the line in dangerous situations. Cooper (sometimes known as the "Silver Fox" due to his premature silver hair) is a new brand of field journalist; employing genuine journalistic skills while becoming part of the action. He's not the only one. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's medical correspondent, was last week's hero. Gupta and his reporting team took care of 25 critically ill patients when a Belgian team of doctors were told to evacuate due to security concerns. In the dark, with no electricity or supplies, in the snow, while barefoot, walking up hill the whole way.
Seriously, that's pretty cool stuff. Gupta also used his neurosurgeon skills to save the life of a young girl who had metal shrapnel lodged in her brain. Earlier in the week, he treated a 15-day old infant. Is this man single? Because I might be in love. If you read/watch CNN's coverage throughout this disaster, it's story after story of their reporters doing good while covering the situation. It's a little embarrassing, but also heart-warming. Even I can't decide which emotion to go with and I can be a cold-hearted cynic when it comes to human motives.
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