Friday, September 23, 2005

Truth is stranger than (Science) Fiction

While an airliner flying around in circles may not sound like a compelling TV image, it was enough to attract some 10.5 million viewers to the cable TV news networks in the US during the 8:00 p.m. hour Wednesday, while at 9:00 p.m. the drama was watched by 13 million viewers.

The huge number waiting to see whether the JetBlue plane with damaged landing gear would land safely was greater than even the audience for Hurricane Katrina. Fox news, CNN and MSNBC pulled in some of their highest ratings ever.

I'll assume that folks just wanted to see a real Airline crash live on telly? It's no fun just seeing wreckage in the aftermath or grainy amateur video. Of most intrest is the ratings it snapped away from LOST which unfortunatly went out on ABC at 9PM, I hope the producers aren't too upset.

Just as intrestingly: Some of the passengers on the plane got wind of their problem from the MSNBC news cast covering the plight of Flight 292 before the cabin crew told them!!! Thursday's Los Angeles Times said that the crew allowed the TV broadcasts to continue to beam throughout the plane until moments before the actual landing. What fun!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

At least the folks on board new what was happening to them.
Its a wierd thing though - if you start screaming in a library, everyone stares at you. If you scream on a crowded plane, everyone joins in.

Anonymous said...

I stayed up and watched it live.

On one hand I knew the emergency procedure for such an event already and it's large chance of success, but on the other there was the slight hint, dare I say thrill, of horror should it turn into a fire ball of super heated metal.

Anonymous said...

A disaster is always a possibility when something like this happens, but it would have been more likely had the front gear been only partially extended, rather than fully extended and not rotated.
Forunately for some members of the tv audience (ie those on the plane), the incident went to most peoples idea of 'best case scenario' - no deaths, no large scale destruction.
One thing though - is it just me, or are there more aircraft related incidents hitting the news this summer than usual?

Anonymous said...

I can just see the reality T.V. show being planned now.

Major General Creedon said...

It's not unlikely Mr. Redmond. There was a network executive on the bloody plane!!!

Anonymous said...

Might be a popular idea if the put unwanted celebs on the plane and promise to detonate it

Anonymous said...

The free trial period of the programme "Landing Gear" has expired. Please visit www.boeing.com to purchase the full version.

..oh shit...

Anonymous said...

Ok then Capt. Alc O'Holic, so you say the plane suddenly began to go around in circles...

..abshofeckinglutely ryte...