February 6, 2002

7:59 AM

"Everything's changed"? No, very little has changed. Exhibit A: the upcoming broadcast of the complete "in-the-belly-of-the-beast" WTC collapse video by CBS. Only three "very special" sponsors, and 50 million are expected to watch. Including me. (Hey, I'm a complicated person and/or hypocrite)
posted by luser (16 comments total)

those three 'very special' sponsors will be boycotted. fuck them. i've had enough of the milking of the collapse. collectible coins, flags, special cd collections.

there is no need, no need at all, for CBS to have sponsors for this. if they're not willing to take a loss, then it means nothing to them but the cost of the sponsorship.

vultures.
posted by jcterminal at 8:17 AM on February 6, 2002

Although this is by no means a double post, it's probably worth revisiting a previous thread prompted by an earlier New York Times article about the video. One of the big topics of discussion was whether the general public would ever see the video. I guess we have our answer.
posted by pardonyou? at 8:18 AM on February 6, 2002

This is a great paraphrase from a corporate shill: "Mr. Carter said the deal mandated that commercials would run only at the beginning and end of the film, with one break in the middle." And I only eat twice a day, and once around noon. What?
posted by nicwolff at 8:31 AM on February 6, 2002

I can't wait for the commemorative DVD. Or the bootleg that will find itself online and on the streets.
posted by panopticon at 8:32 AM on February 6, 2002

Good call. I guess that should have been obvious, but still...
posted by louie at 8:37 AM on February 6, 2002

They should run it on a continuous loop on a giant video screen at the olympics with The Flag right next to it.
posted by plaino at 8:41 AM on February 6, 2002

Good on pardonyou for finding the earlier thread. I searched for it and couldn't come up with it.

It took less than a month from the first mention of this (and our discussion about whether it would go public or not) to prime time.
posted by briank at 8:41 AM on February 6, 2002

Well at least it's not not pay-per-view.
posted by dlewis at 8:46 AM on February 6, 2002

Leslie Moonves, the president of CBS Television, who made the deal for the network, called the footage "just phenomenal material."

Sad really
posted by plemeljr at 9:30 AM on February 6, 2002

I won't watch this stuff. It's porno for ghouls.

....the CBS special will help promote the Uniformed Firefighters Association Scholarship Fund.

The Naudets will also direct part of the money that they are receiving for the film to the fund.

Ah, the old "a portion of the proceeds" rap.
posted by BarneyFifesBullet at 9:44 AM on February 6, 2002

I will never watch that or anything like it. How macabre and depressing and tastless can they be?
posted by Mack Twain at 9:56 AM on February 6, 2002

I will never watch that or anything like it.
I say the same thing now, but knowing myself, I will probably sit and watch, enthralled and horrified all over again, trying to understand something, trying to give meaning--yet again--to what happened, realize--yet again-- their isn't any and then go vomit
posted by ajayb at 10:26 AM on February 6, 2002

there is no need, no need at all, for CBS to have sponsors for this. if they're not willing to take a loss, then it means nothing to them but the cost of the sponsorship.

Since I first heard about this all this morning, there's been something in the back of my head nagging me about how not right it all seemed. This is it, thanks. I don't think I could watch in good conscience, either.
posted by digital_insomnia at 10:35 AM on February 6, 2002

I'll watch, should be interesting.
posted by corpse at 10:37 AM on February 6, 2002

I will watch. But I doubt it's got all the reality that the video captured. Still edited for our virgin eyes and ears.
posted by aacheson at 11:11 AM on February 6, 2002

Tired of the WTC. Tired of NYPD / NYFD ballcaps. Tired of all the new "heroes". Porno for the addle minded.
posted by {savg*pncl} at 6:52 PM on February 6, 2002