Pining for shock & awe

The correspondents in Libya are doing a great job reporting the war. My beef is with their chuckleheaded producers here at home. Since Saturday, MSNBC and CNN have continually interrupted their evening broadcasts with “BREAKING NEWS: ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE HEARD IN LIBYAN CAPITAL OF TRIPOLI.” We’re then shown a night sky with no discernable objects in it. The breathless anchor then interrupts the reporter on the ground and says, “Now, let’s listen.” Long pause. We then hear the snap, crackle and pop of what may or may not be heavy gunfire as we stare into HiDef nothingness. This, alas, is what passes for riveting TV journalism today. No shock. No awe. But I am awed by the shockingly bad news judgment.