PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: CNN'S ANDERSON COOPER AND CHARLIE MOORE AT THE PALEY CENTER {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented as part of The Paley Center for Media’s Inside Media series. Held at the Paley Center in New York, this evening examines how new kinds of media, including social networking, impact procedures of disaster relief with particular focus on the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Host Christy Carpenter (executive vice-president and COO, The Paley Center for Media) offers opening remarks and introduces moderator Jamie Daves (executive director, ThinkSocial). The panelists then take the stage: Anderson Cooper (journalist and CNN anchor); and Charlie Moore (CNN producer). NOTE: The program skip several minutes ahead around the 4:57 mark.
The discussion touches on such topics as: Cooper and Moore’s immediate travel to Haiti the day of the earthquake; an anonymous donor who assisted by offering use of a plane; their shock at the total destruction of their usual hotel; the surprising lack of relief organization upon arrival; Cooper’s use of Twitter and satellite phones; the disturbing experience of seeing increasing numbers of bodies in the streets; their lack of knowledge of the outside world’s reaction to the disaster; how trapped victims used Twitter and other websites to call for help, and fake reports of victims’ locations and other information; Cooper and Moore’s attempts to communicate and share information with the state department to aid rescue; the use of social media to reunite loved ones; Cooper’s interest in “bringing the viewer there”; comparisons to other tragedies and natural disasters; Cooper’s early days of amateur reporting, during which producing and editing were delayed, as opposed to today’s immediate production; his experience covering the Haiti crisis while ill; CNN’s support of rapid news production, including the use of satellite dishes; Cooper’s former role as a “one-man band” reporting by himself and the need for “support” from others; the “line” between proper empathy and showing too much emotion on camera during a tragedy; the use of still photos versus video; an incident in which Cooper rescued an injured boy; the decision to run certain scenes and tactful use of sensitive imagery; the “natural human reaction” to help others; choosing to read feedback from viewers; a New Hampshire couple who assisted with reuniting families via Facebook; and Cooper’s overall affect on the organization of the rescue effort.
Andrew Rasiej (founder, the Personal Democracy Forum) then stands from the audience and discusses his organization: the importance of instantaneous information in crisis situations; examples from Hurricane Katrina; the use of internet translators; the importance of keeping information about children secure; the lack of an official government process for social networking; and the importance of communicating with first responders.
A woman from Ushahidi, a Kenya-based website that collects and maps eyewitness reports of violence in a given area, discusses the site’s aims: strategic use of websites like Twitter; the use of text messages; the instinct of “people as storytellers,” and the importance of balancing personal stories with data; and the use of Google Earth to pinpoint rescue locations.
Cooper then recounts a story of the evacuation of an injured woman, culminating in Moore’s surprising assistance with a helicopter transport, and explains the vital importance of gas and water in aiding rescue efforts, adding that government’s priorities are often unbalanced and too focused on protocol rather than emergent need.
Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics: the relative danger of man-made disasters versus natural disasters; the lack of a “worldwide consciousness” about disaster relief techniques; Cooper’s assertion that the Haitian government is “out to lunch” and not helping its people; lessons learned post-Katrina; the creation of Netguard, a “National Guard of Techies,” which is now on “life support” and not being developed by the government; the increased speed of problem-solving due to instant media coverage; modern media censorship and how networks are businesses that respond to ratings pressures above all else; how bureaucracies “don’t want some stories told”; and debate about the likelihood of a nuclear strike on American soil.
Video clips from Cooper's CNN news reports on the Haiti earthquake are interspersed throughout the program, including several still photographs.
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: April 14, 2010 6:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:37:17
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 101141
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Christy Carpenter … Host
- Jamie Daves … Moderator
- Anderson Cooper … Panelist
- Charlie Moore … Panelist
- Andrew Rasiej