NP Rank:
Jackson Media Coverage Laughable Say Family of Fallen Soldier
A soldier who was killed on the same day that Michael Jackson died was laid to rest yesterday in Kent, WA. His funeral was attended by about 2400 people. 1st Lt Brian Bradshaw was laid to rest with full military honours.
His aunt, Martha Gillis, who is upset with all the media coverage for Michael Jackson, wrote the Washington Post. "Where was the coverage of my nephew or the other soldiers who died last week.
Gills nephew died when and improvised explosive device hit detonated near his vehilce. 1st Lt Bradshaw was a member of the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Regiment based in Fort Richardson, Alaska.
Bradshaw's mother said that the wall to wall coverage of Michael Jackson has become totally ridiculous and laughable.
In an interview she said there are boys dieing in Afghanistan daily. Where is the coverage for that.
Media Analysts confirm that Michael Jackson in the last two weeks received three times the coverage of Iraq, where U.S. troops pulled out of the cities into Base Camps or Afghanistan, where Operation Kanjar, Strike of the Sword was undertaken. The U.S. House of Representatives also passed The Cap and Trade Bill with very little coverage.
"Mr. Jackson received days of wall-to-wall coverage in the media," Martha Gillis wrote to the Washington Post. "Where was the coverage of my nephew or the other soldiers who died that week?"
Gillis' nephew, Lt. Brian Bradshaw, 24, died in Kheyl, Afganistan, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Bradshaw, of Steilacoom, Wash., was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division in Fort Richardson, Alaska. He was one of at least 13 U.S. soldiers to die in Afghanistan since Jackson's death on June 25.
Bradshaw's mother, Mary, said she agreed with Gillis, saying the nonstop coverage of Jackson's death has become "totally ridiculous" and laughable.
Most Recommended Comment
Crowd Power
-
albertacowpoke
Canada
Recommendations (86)
-
Sri Lanka Army news
Colombo, Western, Sri Lanka -
Barry Artiste
Vancouver, Canada -
skintone
Windsor, Ontario, Canada -
Tina Kells
Vancouver, Canada -
Rhonda J Mangus
North Tonawanda, New York, United States
-
danesller0127
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -
Spydermonkey
huntsville, Alabama, United States -
Paschen
Narita, Chiba, Japan -
SamirJ
Vadodara, Gujarat, India -
Amitjha
new delhi, India




Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (53)
at 10:18 on July 7th, 2009
i have to agree with albertacowpoke on this one...we have totally forgotten the rest of the world with the death of Mr. Jackson....too much coverage..he was a great singer, composer and his family loved him as well...but his contributions to the world are overblown....the lives of soldiers, police and firemen who serve their communities have been overlooked. We , as a community of caring people need to review our priorities , our standards....and take a close look at others who give their lives in the service of others... I'm not putting down Mr. Jackson, but i truely believe that there has been too much made of him. He was a person, an ordinary person with extraordinary talent, but so are the others, the soldies who fight for freedom away from their families, with little financial reward. Let us remember them. let us not forget Mr. Jackson, but lets us thank those who die in the service of their nation. They are just as important, if not more important than a singer...
at 10:49 on July 7th, 2009
Thank you for your thoughtful comments. The list of people that serve their community is endless. Many work long volunteer hours without much recognition. Needless to say, firemen, policemen, EMS staff, hospital emergency staff and soldiers provide invaluable service to all of us, often with little reward.
at 11:34 on July 7th, 2009
Thank you for your comments.
at 13:59 on July 7th, 2009
thriller man, thriller.
at 14:01 on July 7th, 2009
Michael Jackson wasn't just some famous guy that died. He was famous because we made him so. His charitable causes were the highest donations of any star and sometimes I think that we forget this. He was an American (first) that everyone in the world knew, and if anything, he helped the world. You do not have to be on the front line to make a difference in this world. I fully appreciate the work that soldiers do and the sacrifice that not only the soldiers make, but also their families. But please remember, this was the most famous person on the face of this earth - his ability to reach out to people that we will never meet and his ability to help others made him something that is larger than life. My 4 year old was sleeping when Katherine Paris made her statement of her father. I went upstairs and hugged her. This is what every child feels when their parent dies. Appreciate what you have today, because tomorrow it can be gone - famous or not, we all feel the pain of loss. I wish the families of soldiers the best, but please do not forget that differences can be made in other ways and that also should be celebrated. There are so many people in this world that make a difference and will not have the coverage of MJ, but to those that have been touched by people that make a difference, you are remembered. May MJ and all that help make a difference rest in peace.
at 14:09 on July 7th, 2009
Bob from UK. This was not the argument of the aunt of that soldier. Her argument was that while there has been a media circus for two weeks, no one published that her nephew had been killed, for that matter any other soldiers on that day. No one denies that Jackson contributed with his music and was known throughout the world. Her point was that others matter as well.
at 14:35 on July 7th, 2009
DOD notice same day:
http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=12773
Local News reports the next day:
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/49219207.html
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_062609WAB-steilacoom-death-KS.ccbbd8e.html
Plus, there have been nearly 20 articles nation-wide including the tragic news of this soldier's ultimate sacrifice.
His memory will live on in the hearts and minds of his friends and family forever, and it is unfortunate that more of their life's story could be told to the public. Let us not destroy that memory by tarnishing their sacrifice with petty squabbles over news coverage.
at 14:54 on July 7th, 2009
Thank you for your comments and links. To his aunt and mother it is not a petty squabble.
As a point of interest:
Media Analysts confirm that Michael Jackson in the last two weeks received three times the coverage of Iraq, where U.S. troops pulled out of the cities into Base Camps, or Afghanistan, where Operation Kanjar, Strike of the Sword was undertaken. The U.S. House of Representatives also passed The Cap and Trade Bill with very little coverage.
If nothing else this aunt drew attention to a common problem with the media which goes for ratings.
Today's memorial service was a deserved tribute to Michael Jackson, but we should look at the remaining two weeks after his death. My question is "Did the media go overboard?"
at 14:53 on July 7th, 2009
I agree. I hate war, it's really dumb and consists of evildoers and greed; but that's what soldiers die for. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful I'm an American, but is the price we pay worth dying for?
MJ stood for peace and humanity, something the world gravely lacks. I'm sorry we don't have a full blown coverage for every soldier, but hey, that's how it is. I will NEVER allow my kids to join the military. I'd rather have them become scientists that will help the world, not destory it (and they won't create weapons of war either!). I can blow more steam, but hey, I'd rather see STARS than others who died for nothing; not being an a55, but that's how our world is.
at 04:40 on July 11th, 2009
therealben
you are not worth my time but I feel I need to comment.
The kids dying everyday are volunteers. They do it because they want. Most of them have no idea why we are there but they still do there best to keep you safe in your nice warm bed at night while they sleep on floors or even outside. How dare you say that this is all dumb. You should pickup and get out of this country. MJ was just a singer and a baby raper as far as I am concerned. It is liberals like you that think we can all just get along if we are nice. As we all know of 9-11 that is not true. Please go back into your cave and die you ass.
Kevin
at 19:59 on July 23rd, 2009
OMG! Thank you. Thats all i got to say. I agree with everything you said. Except for dieing in the cave he came out of. Get OFF of American soil before you die you piece of shit. You dont deserve to die on American soil. There are soldiers dieing because they wanted to be apart of saving our country, and all you liberals do is sit there and watch pissed off that they are PROTECTING us. Go screw yourelf your not worth our time.
at 21:52 on July 7th, 2009
I feel graditude for the families that support their fathers, sons, daughters, and or mothers who choose to serve the great country of America. If some people don't think it's great then they need to go live in the Middle Eastern countries, the Soviet Union, China, etc... If it wasn't for Americans willing to support, fight if asked to, to do what needs to be done to keep America free to live how you want, have as many children as you want, even bad mouth this great country, we would be living as other people do in the above countries. They are the kind of people who are all talk and no action. These people who mourn for Michael Jackson forget about the children he molested and paid off so he wouldn't have to go to jail. He left the country in shame, waiting for the short memories of his fans to forget why he left. He "gave" nothing to society, he "sold" his music. He lived as a rich pedophile. When he couldn't invite and sleep with strangers children and pay them off, he paid off Deb Rowe to have children so the bedroom doors stayed closed, private and he didn't have to pay off the parents. He was talented in music and song, but as a human being he offered nothing, he changed no lives to the positive, and children are safer with him dead.
at 04:50 on July 9th, 2009
What an evil thing to say, if my son had been molested by a well known star i would not have taken the money i would have made sure he went on trial.All they were after was the money in fact MJ didnt want to pay any money it was his insurers.There are documents to prove this, just because he loved kids dont mean he was molesting them.
at 10:32 on July 7th, 2009
The pop icons of the 20th century and this century are figures who replace the gods that died in a secularized world, an overly rational world that doesn't speak to the heart and the deepest feelings of people.
The fans feel that they "know" these stars by the effects they feel in themselves.
In the end, the news organizations choose to make the most money by focusing on Jackson and prostitute their own power.
at 10:51 on July 7th, 2009
Thanks very much for this Roy. Money, unfortunately rules the world. Hopefully we can highlight what's important on NP.
at 14:14 on July 7th, 2009
It is amazing to see how things turned full circle in past fifty odd years. Invisible gods gave way to tangible pop icons. Now in another one hundred and eighty degree turn everyone wants to have virtual friends,heros,lovers and even virtual life..!
at 11:15 on July 7th, 2009
It's true, Michael has dominated the news.
at 11:24 on July 7th, 2009
Thank you Amy:)
at 11:37 on July 7th, 2009
It's a valid point: when does public tribute turn into a hand-wringing contest? Real-life heroes from all walks of life die every day.
at 11:43 on July 7th, 2009
Thank you for commenting Jordan. I second all walks of life. :)
at 11:39 on July 7th, 2009
I just wanted to add that I have been watching the memorial service and it is very, very good. This is worth hogging the airwaves over, but the rest has been overdone.
at 11:44 on July 7th, 2009
I saw some of it on the fly too. It was very well done on short notice.
at 13:10 on July 7th, 2009
Thanks very much Luiz. Appreciate your comments.
at 13:24 on July 7th, 2009
While what the dead soldier did was more important than what Jackson did but Jackson is famous and soldiers are unknown except to a few people. That is how news works, cover the unusual, controversial,and ignore real news.
Sadly a few soldiers die each week with little coverage,.It becomes routine, not news
If Lt. Bradshaw had died 2 weeks ago his death would not have been covered, except locally
at 13:33 on July 7th, 2009
albertacowpoke thank you for writing about the loss of Canadian soldier´s lives. I have been keeping up with this sad issue. They are real people, real heroes of life.
May they receive honor and may they rest in peace.
at 13:36 on July 7th, 2009
I'm glad to do it. They all have a special place in my heart
at 13:34 on July 7th, 2009
I must give the Canadian media credit they do a good job reporting each and every one. They report the death, normally the ramp ceremony held in Khandahar for his return to Canada, the arrival at Canadian Forces Base Trenton and occasionally the funeral. The Canadian Forces maintains this website to honour the fallen:
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/focus/fallen-disparus/index-eng.asp
at 16:02 on July 7th, 2009
i have read the comments with interest......i just turned on my yahoo homepage and they talk about a pilgramage to see michael jacksons memorial......we need heros, we need people with good morals to look up to, to revere....and yes mr. jackson did charitable works....and those have been acknowledged....but
the media has overblown this who thing.....i turned on the tv this aft...and over 8 channels were carrying his memorial....
the police were concerned about the procession going to the memorial..because of the 20 helicopters hovering overhead......
we need to remember mr. jackson..he was a human, lets get back to reality...look at those who contritute in other ways to society...and let mr. jackson rest in peace..and let the rest of us have some peace as well from the over blown, over covered. over exposed media circus that his death has become
at 16:07 on July 7th, 2009
Thank you marianmo for your comments. Appreciate them
at 16:23 on July 7th, 2009
REMEMBER THAT THE PRESS IS LOOKING FOR WHAT GIVES THEM MORE MONEY AND EXPOSURE. THEY DO NOT CARE WITH WHAT OR WHO THEY DESTROY IN THE PATH. THEY JUST SHOW WHAT PEOPLE WANTED TO SEE. AND BECAUSE M.J. WAS SO FAMOUS, THEY JUST JUMP TO GET THEIR RATINGS, AND GIVE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR. *REMEMBER THAT ON THE SAME WEEK THREE OTHER FAMOUS PEOPLE DIE , AND WE ALL KNOW WHO GOT THE SPOTLIGHT.