Local TV News Reporters Flock to Japan - Waste of Money, Waste of Time, and Ulimately Pointless

NJ Burkett WABC News Live From Japan - and so what?

What has happened in Japan, and what is continuing to happen is a disaster of almost unimaginable proportions.

And it's not like there has been any shortage of coverage or images or information coming out of that country.

Person for person, Japan is probably the most video literate country in the world - and they have an excellent television news infrastructure.

On top of that, BBC, CNN, and all the major US networks have flown their own people into Japan to cover the story.

As I said, it's not like there is any shortage of information.

Why, then must local TV stations in the US send their reporters to cover exactly the same story?

What is the point?

What do they even bring to the discussion - not a lot, if you take a look at this 'live' report from WABC reporter NJ Burkett.

In a country suffering from rolling blackouts, do they really need NJ Burkett and his crew sucking down the electrical power necessary for this live satellite hook-up?

I doubt it.

As far as I can tell from his online resume NJ Burkett does not speak a word of Japanese. Neither does he seem to have any particularly special  knowlege of a) earthquakes, b) Tsunamis or c) Nuclear energy.

No.  NJ Burkett brings nothing to the party.

What NJ Burkett and his 'crew' (he eagerly tweeted

	njburkett:  Wheels-up, friends. See you in Tokyo in 14 hours! [via Twitter]

How exciting for you NJ!

And later, to keep us all on the edge of our seats (as if the unfolding disaster we were already able to watch was not compelling enough), NJ tweeted:

Forced to flee northern Japan. We are speeding south; presently two hours north of Tokyo. [via Twitter]

Wow!

Wow is all I can say. What an exciting life!

Wow NJ.

And later NJ apparently met with some rescue folks: 

njburkett:  In downtown Tokyo, meeting with the coordinators of the search, rescue and relief efforts for the Japanese Red Cross. [via Twitter]

OK!

Hey NJ

Here's some advice for you.  Get out of the way and stop bothering the Red Cross people so they can get on with saving lives.

You're being there is not only a total waste of time, in a country where people are lining up for drinking water and food, it is nothing short of pornographic.

And whatever money WABC spent on sending you there would have been far far far (far) better spent in just giving it to Japan Red Cross.

Come home NJ Burkett

Come home now and stop embarassing the world of journalism.

This isn't news.

It's revolting grandstanding on top of people's bodies.