News and (my) commentary

Two items in last night's local television newscasts struck me as just plain wrong. Now, I'm not one of those "all media are bad, and biased, and stupid, and controlling the agenda" types. But there are definitely moments when you have to wonder what they're thinking.

Earlier this week, a man was shot and killed by Portland police officers after he screamed he was going to shoot someone and then pointed a loaded shotgun at the officers. The news last night on our CBS affiliate was that the "victim" had been identified. Victim? Victim of what? Certainly not the police, though that was the implication. Maybe of his own stupidity or mental instability. But calling him a victim in this story made it seem like he was wrongly shot by the police. And that struck me as wrong.

Meanwhile, on our NBC affiliate ran a story about a group of seniors at a area high school who dug up a lawn on campus and planted "SENIORS 07" and a giant peace sign in flowers. Only one student has admitted to participating. Among the ridiculous details:
(1) The news station calls this a "prank"; it's actually criminal vandalism.
(2) All those other students are letting Maggie twist in the wind on this; she may want to choose some new friends.
(3) Maggie doesn't want to "out the other kids" and her mother, amazingly, says she doesn't want to encourage her to do so. Mom, sorry to resort to name-calling, but you are an idiot. When a crime has been committed, you cooperate. You're fortunate the school has handled this themselves rather than calling the police.
(4) Maggie apparently has received calls and offers of monetary assistance to pay the fine that stems from this prank/vandalism (since, as the only identified perpetrator, she is on the hook for all the damages). I was astonished to hear the news anchor editorialize at the end of the report that it's "good to see that Maggie is getting some support." Are you kidding? Support for what? Damaging school property? Withholding information about the commission of a crime? For this she deserves "support" and we're supposed to be glad?