Kyron Horman story "over-reported"

[eyes4crime]

"Here’s what every reporter in town has been thinking for nearly four months but won’t write: “We’ve spent a million dollars and countless reams of media attention on a missing child and his freak-show family while we ignore Oregon’s other children and their desperate families,.." **snip**

http://www.wweek.com/editorial/3647/14557/

I don't like this article AT ALL! Why are they referring to the family as a 'freak' family? That's downright condescending and cruel! moo mho

Kyron is missing in the most horrible of circumstances. Loved ones and friends of Kyron's are in pain. Getting the story out there to the public is crucial...can't think of anyone who would disagree with that! moo mho

I have no problem with getting the story of a missing child out in front of the public eye - the more coverage the better. MY problem comes with the 'way' and 'what' was put out there. Using prime time to conduct a character assassination; asking for help when you already know who the perp is; and asking for judgmental America to chime in to support a personal theory is just plain misuse of the media.

I would love to see all parents of missing children blast the media with their missing child. Problem is, not all parents are articulate and not many can work the media to their advantage. Kaine and Desiree were able to work the media, it's what they put out there that I disagree with. moo mho

 

[Billylee]

Kyron's case IS unique. From this article: http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/07/unusual_events_nature_of_disap.html

But perhaps the biggest factor feeding interest in the Kyron story has to do with the nature of his disappearance. Although hundreds of thousands of children are reported missing every year, about 115 are cases in which a child is abducted by a stranger and killed, held for ransom or taken for another reason. Kyron's case, though still unsolved, falls in this category, said Ernie Allen, president of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

About a third of those 115 kids are taken off the street or from a vehicle. The rest are mostly snatched from their home, yard, park or wooded area or from a store. Only two -- fewer than 2 percent -- vanish from a school or day care.

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"This is something that captures the attention of millions of moms and dads across the country," Allen said. "If your children aren't safe at school, where are they safe? That's one of the reasons why this case has resonated well beyond Portland and well beyond Oregon."

 

[Scamperoo]

We did it, don't blame the media for giving us what we want, they saw a need and filled it.
The story has all the trappings of high drama cute little boy, stepmother, multiple divorce, child abducted from a "safe zone", accusations of murder for hire, infidelity, lies, conspiracy collusion....I could go on.
We wanted an uninterrupted supply of the drama, we hurt when they hurt and then somehow he became like family. It doesn't mean we don't care any less for each and every missing child indeed I wish every case could be spotlighted like this. It isn't that Kyron's case is over reported it's just all the others are under reported something we should try to change no matter how the media would like to spin it. The sad thing is there are so many of these horrible stories where does one begin. JMHO...as always

 

[eileenhawkeye]

I always found the articles that say, "Why doesn't X get as much attention as Y?" to be insulting. Think about it, let's say you're the parents of X. Your child is missing and can barely get local coverage while Y makes national news every night. Then you read an article which basically says that if your family was more successful and made more money, your child would be get as much attention as Y. If you had worked harder, maybe people would care more about your child. That Y is a more attractive kid than your child, that people can relate better to Y's family, and that because of where you live, people expect your child to go missing.

There are children whose names I see mentioned all the time in arguments about the disparity between coverages of cases yet I will never hear those names mentioned in an article just about their case. It's like the media can only bother to mention their names when they know they get a big debate and controversy going. "We'll name drop your child in our article about media attention for missing children but hell no, are we actually going to write an entire article about your child's case."

 

[liz b.]

It's strange, but I always felt that there was way MORE to Kyron's disappearance than was reported. I believe that there could be a riveting story there, just waiting for a real investigative reoprter to uncover it.... MOO


All JMO

 

[debs]

We did it, don't blame the media for giving us what we want, they saw a need and filled it.
The story has all the trappings of high drama cute little boy, stepmother, multiple divorce, child abducted from a "safe zone", accusations of murder for hire, infidelity, lies, conspiracy collusion....I could go on.
We wanted an uninterrupted supply of the drama, we hurt when they hurt and then somehow he became like family. It doesn't mean we don't care any less for each and every missing child indeed I wish every case could be spotlighted like this. It isn't that Kyron's case is over reported it's just all the others are under reported something we should try to change no matter how the media would like to spin it. The sad thing is there are so many of these horrible stories where does one begin. JMHO...as always

Scamp, I do believe you turned around and saw the reason for the shadows. Thank you is not near enough for this hard look inside myself. <3

 

[cluciano63]

Considering how little LE had contributed to the story, it is remarkable that it has received as much coverage as it has. Usually, it is LE who provides the details for reporters to put together stories to keep a crime in the news. This one has been in the news quite a lot, with no help from LE to speak of.

I do think it is time for LE to call a PC to show Kyron's clothes again...before hunting season starts...just to remind people in case any bits of evidence are out there. That wouldn't be too much coverage, would it? Even if someone has Kyron, they may have tossed his clothes...

 

[TxLady2]

How exactly is the media spending so much money reporting this case? Isn't that their job? To report the news? You gotta spend money to make money in that business.

I'll tell you what is over reported. Every time Lindsey Lohan or Paris Hilton goes to jail, to rehab, to court. Every time some politician gets in trouble for looking at *advertiser censored* on his computer or having an affair. News like that I can do without.

And yeah... the comment about the "freak family" was a bit too much!! How rude!!

 

[Jo in Calif]

I'll bet that reporter was one of the reporters pooping in peoples yard, so he could be the first to get a story.

 

[grandmaj]

I feel no need to incite the public with comments like "freak family." There is something fundamentally wrong with a cruel heartless commentary about a family that is already in pain. The pen is a strong instrument of hurt" when you alone put this sort of opinion out there and say that all media felt the same way. Sorry I don't believe it. Prove it!

Who among us is perfect, has had a perfect marriage, has never done anything that isn't conventional? I've never met a Saint and don't claim to be one myself. Kyron deserved better than what has happened to him. Don't continue to victimize him or those that love him to make a point about your beliefs that the media or reader demand is lacking critical thinking. It is shameful.

Willamette didn't seem to have a problem breaking the news that was a sealed court order did they? They wanted the ratings and the readers. They had the choice to stop reporting on Kyron on any given day. But they continued with the worst of the soap opera drama and interviews of people who inserted themselves into this case.

They have the ability to report on every missing child and give that child a chance to be found. So what is the issue here? Are they saying they failed all of the other missing children? So fix yourselves or go find a news agency where you feel the proper balance of news is covered, but stop directing your poisonous pen toward a family in pain!

This isn't about Kryon at all. It is a cheap shot.......

 

[tlcya]

:woohoo:
you said a mouthful there grandmaj!

bravo

 

[chasing.halos]

:woohoo:
you said a mouthful there grandmaj!

bravo

The Following Users Say Thank You to grandmaj For This Useful Post:

chasing.halos x a million

 

[Calliope]

How exactly is the media spending so much money reporting this case? Isn't that their job? To report the news? You gotta spend money to make money in that business.

I'll tell you what is over reported. Every time Lindsey Lohan or Paris Hilton goes to jail, to rehab, to court. Every time some politician gets in trouble for looking at *advertiser censored* on his computer or having an affair. News like that I can do without.

And yeah... the comment about the "freak family" was a bit too much!! How rude!!

The million dollar figure is how much LE has spent so far, not the media. I think the 'freak-show family' comment was directed at Terri and all the drama surrounding her. So that's ok.

 

[eileenhawkeye]

We&#8217;ve spent a million dollars and countless reams of media attention on a missing child and his freak-show family while we ignore Oregon&#8217;s other children and their desperate families

Why is Kyron's family described as a freak-show and the other families of missing children are described as desperate? I'm pretty sure that anyone who's child is missing would be desperate. I don't like the nasty contrast she's trying to make between Kyron's family and other families. Also, how is Kyron's family a freak-show? Besides Terri, everyone else seems pretty stable. Kaine is working with his ex-wife and her new husband to find Kyron and Kaine also left Terri as soon as he found out about MFH and her possible involvement in his son's disappearance. I don't like how this reporter is trying to bring down the Hormans to try to explain why their son isn't worthy of the media attention he is getting.

 

[TxLady2]

The million dollar figure is how much LE has spent so far, not the media. I think the 'freak-show family' comment was directed at Terri and all the drama surrounding her. So that's ok.

Well, then they should have said the freak stepmom. People think of Kaine and Desiree and even Tony as Kyron's family, because those are the ones who seem to be grieving his absence.
Thanks, though, I didn't have time to scan the article because I had to run somewhere pretty quick on about 5 minutes notice. That's my life these days!

 

[Calliope]

Well, then they should have said the freak stepmom. People think of Kaine and Desiree and even Tony as Kyron's family, because those are the ones who seem to be grieving his absence.
Thanks, though, I didn't have time to scan the article because I had to run somewhere pretty quick on about 5 minutes notice. That's my life these days!

lol know the feeling ...

 

[Mellen]

I don't think "while we ignore Oregon’s other children and their desperate families" is referring to other missing children. I think it has a more general meaning and is referring to families in desperate circumstances such as poverty, or families that are dealing with meth addiction, etc., and the point they are trying to make is that $1 million has been spent searching for one missing child when perhaps that money should be being spent on programs to fix larger societal problems that are putting a larger number of children at risk.

 

[grayjay]

Here's the full quote:

“We’ve spent a million dollars and countless reams of media attention on a missing child and his freak-show family while we ignore Oregon’s other children and their desperate families, because people would rather watch a soap opera about one very sad misfortune than think about systemic problems that have no easy solutions.”

This is information copy/pasted from a news article, not my opinion.

BBM

So then they use the rest of the article to discuss the problems and open up discussions about possible solutions?

And how can we discuss solutions while we're still spinning and trying to figure out wth happened, anyway?

 

[Billylee]

Talk about unnecessary journalism! It was a not-well-thought-out piece of garbage opinion expressed by a crappy journalist who's butt oughta' be in the fryin' pan at WW. JMO

 

[txsvicki]

Freak show family is too strong, and not right. However, it did become soap operish with the inconsistent statements about the marriages and ex inlaws' opinions instead of just about Kyron. We hear that one marriage was already over, then no it wasn't, there was devastation. We've had to hear that Terri spent money like water and that she is sexually manipulative and may have drank too much. Stuff like that, unless it's being talked about to try and tell a "group" what was going on, is soap operaish. The police complain about all the money spent, yet no searches for a body continuing and no pleas to any individuals or group to bring Kyron home. It's almost like a big multiple marriage dispute or like War of the Roses instead of using the media to help find Kyron. People may even be beginning to wonder if the mfh and sexting was even true and not a set up.