'Today' 9/11 disgrace: NBC defends decision to ignore moment of silence to let Kim K.'s mom run her mouth
NBC ‘Today’ show skips 9/11 moment of silence in favor of Kardashian mom interview
Never forget? NBC’s ‘Today’ skipped live coverage of commemorative events tied to the anniversary of 9/11 in order show viewers an interview with Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian’s mom.
Comments (111) By Don Kaplan / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Published: Tuesday, September 11, 2012, 12:35 PM
NBC
Kris Jenner, Kim K’s mom, talking about her daughter’s romantic relationship during an interview on the ‘Today‘ show on Sept. 11, 2012.
Plane crash, what plane crash?
The “Today” show opted to treat viewers to an interview with Kim Kardashian’s mom, Kris Jenner -- while millions everywhere else observed a somber moment of silence to mark the time of day the first plane, slammed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center 11 years ago.
“They are well suited for each other, really, really happy,” Jenner said of her bootylicious daughter and her rapper beau Kanye West.
“And everybody who has kids knows when your kids are happy, you're happy.”
At the same time, “Today” competitors “Good Morning America” and “CBS This Morning” took viewers to the heartwrenching 9/11 memorial service where devastated relatives of the dead where holding a moment of silence.
In New York, the local NBC affiliate, WNBC, carried live coverage of the event, but in almost every other U.S. city, viewers were treated to Jenner’s inane jibber-jabber.
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Coverage of the 9/11 anniversary on WNBC, Channel 4 in New York.
A “Today” rep defended the network’s bone-headed decision.
“The `Today’ show dedicated a considerable amount of time to September 11th coverage this morning throughout the entire show,” said NBC News spokeswoman, Megan Kopf.
Earlier during show, “Today” aired a lengthy segment about 9/11.
But the callous decision to ignore the moment of silence left “Today” rivals in shock — especially at “Good Morning America” which is engaged in a fierce battle for viewers but still managed to carry the somber ceremony.
“It’s so typical,” sniffed a “GMA” insider. “Obviously they are more concerned about their ratings then anything else, but this just takes it to a whole new low.”
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Others were equally horrified.
“It’s ridiculous,” said television industry analyst Marc Berman of TV Media Insights. “Ratings are ratings and of course they [NBC] is going to do whatever they have to do, but there are times when you have to put that aside and bite the bullet,” he said.
“What was important at that moment was to honor the heroes and victims of 9/11, what [`Today’] did is just so unbelieveable - a huge misstep and it doesn’t bode well for their future.”
For the year to date, “Today” has watched its total audience shrink by 5 percent, while the ratings for “GMA” have swelled more than 4 percent.
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