ABSTRACT
The extraordinary nature of the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001 produced a significant rupture in media reporting. Live pictures of an airplane crashing into a world famous skyscraper, which then crumbled to the ground, are not normal television fare. Scheduled live transmission of events tends to be well-planned and publicized, with events usually unfolding broadly within the parameters of a preconceived script. Rarely does the camera capture completely unforeseen incidents. Even in cases where television crews arrive moments after terrorist bomb explosions, the only “action” available for videotaping usually consists of emergency personnel’s hurried movements, smoke billowing from damaged buildings, sirens wailing, and people weeping or shouting in anger.
