Audience Participation!

    It happened while I was watching another
Live report on the current controversy at Penn
State University. What I saw brought back
memories of my reporting days.
    You find yourself "in the field" trying to
tell a story, usually serious in nature, and
every other driver going by your position
feels it necessary to blow the horn as they
whisk by.
    A lot of college kids have new cars with
really loud horns!  They should have spent
the money on books.
    And try doing a report anywhere near
a spot where young kids are nearby.
    Seconds after your camera has been
set up waving hands and a variety of
"funny" faces attempt to take over the
background.
   They would be out of place in the
best of circumstances. But when they
appear while you're trying to report on
a death, or a fire, or something like
that they go beyond just being a
distraction.
  We're probably all at fault.
  Get out a home camera and the
first thing we tell the kids is to
"Smile and say cheese." If it's video
somebody usually tells the gang to
"Wave to the camera" and "Say hi
to Mom!"
  The horn seems to have replaced
the wave for some folks. Both
annoy me!
  Then there's the "adult" audience
participation. Maybe you've been
listening to the commentary and
calls on "talk radio."
   I am amazed by the number of
people who hear a story, like the
one involving Penn State, and are
immediately ready to lynch everyone
even remotely connected.
   "Stories' and 'facts"
are not always the same.
   Seems some folks are not
inclined to wait a bit for "Due
Process."
   It brings to mind Salem around
the time 19 people were charged,
convicted, and executed for
Witchcraft.
   It's usually nice to get some
audience reaction....unless they're
waving, blowing horns, or
asking who's got the rope!!!!!
    Hope you're not part of the
mob...and that all your NEWS
is good!