How The Media Created A Story

On March 11, 2005 a strange series of events took place in which a computer engineer for Hewlett Packard who reportedly earned a six-figure income was involved in the violent shootings of 4 persons in a violent escape from the Fulton County Courthouse where he faced rape charges. Brian Nichols staged a daring shootout and fled the courthouse, and ended up at the house of Ashley Smith, and while holding this woman hostage, the broad newsmedia reported that Smith talked to Nichols about God and faith and Nichols then gave himself up. This story seemed very inspirational. The only problem is that's not really true or accurate.

Ashley Smith even admits that she had a history of methamphetamine abuse. She even related this in an interview on the Pat Robertson's 700 Club program as well. And while Nichols at first held Smith hostage and tied her up in the bathroom, he let her loose when she had meth and beer to offer Nichols. While Smith smoked cigarettes, Nichols abused meth and alcohol. Some discussion of religious values came up during the 7 hour ordeal, but is was mainly after the event that Smith herself found the strength from fear of escaping the event with he life as well as more new found faith to quit cigarettes as well. She had previously quit using meth. But still kept the temptation of a meth stash in her house. Smith called 9/11 after Nichols left. And Nichols eventually surrendered.

I love truly inspirational stories of faith. But this wasn't really one. The media ran with a premise that was not really accurate that a discussion of faith took place, and Nichols seemingly surrendered as a result of this faith embolding discussion with Smith as though she was something of an angel that turned around a cold blooded killer into a peaceful surrender. Some in the newsmedia desperately wanted to create an isnspirational story to make it appear that a very religious woman was able to turn around the life a man who just killed four persons in his cold-blooded escape from a courtroom. But this simply was not the case.

In Portland, Oregon a drug abuser who rode bicycles through SouthEast Portland often at night, was able to con a major local news station into putting his "story" on television, which claimed that he was a military veteran but could not get benefits because all of his military records were destroyed in a house fire. But the truth was that military records are not kept in a persons home, but with military computers where veterans of all wars are able to apply or receive veterans home loans, health care, or other benefits. This story worked where this local drug abuser was able to get sympathy and local help. But his story was merely a con and not true. Whether this drug abuser was ever in the military is also another issue left unanswered.

A local newspaper in Portland, The Portland Tribune, mistated testimony from a local crime story in which thay falsely quoted a witness in the case as claiming he "stole" 100 automobiles, when the truth was in testimony he said that he "sold" 100 automobiles, as he had been involved with automobile business for quite some time. The Tribune refused to retract this major error, which was used to support a larger story premise that the individual was a criminal personality, and even sold the erroneous story to MSNBC for national broadcast information. This is how reporters get paid. They construct stories that are not always accurate or truthful, and the sensational side of journalism often draws more readers.

A free press is very important. I strongly support a free press. But sometimes what is reported is not even close to being accurate or truthful. Some stories even appear to be reverse engineered from a premise of the reporter, and when the facts don't match, they mysteriously suddenly seem to when some reporters piece their story together. Most reporters are ethical and honest journalists. But a few create stories that have little relationship to fact.

News is a commodity product that is bought and sold like all products and commodities. But sometimes human interest or sensational stories appear to be manufactured from few good facts to futher a thin premise of a jounalist. This is a huge discredit to the honored role of responsible journalism based on true facts.