Baltimore mayor requests media outlets stop playing bridge collapse video

The mayor of Baltimore has called on media outlets to stop airing footage of the collapsing Francis Scott Key Bridge, calling it “traumatizing our community.”

Mayor Brandon Scott was on “CNN NewsCentral” March 26, 2024, to explain the ongoing search and rescue operations.

“I’m going to be the first to ask that CNN and everyone else stop showing the video,” he told CNN anchor Sara Sidner.

“No one needs to see a possibility of their family member being severely injured or otherwise,” he added. 

Sidner’s response was, “fair enough.”

At the time Scott made the statement, many details about the accident were still unclear, including any deaths or injuries; it had been described as a “mass casualty” event in early reports.

Most news outlets have been running footage captured by a live camera aimed at the bridge capturing the moment of collision and collapse. 

Since the original early reporting, it does appear that many news outlets have cut down replaying the tape of the collapse, though most are continuing to show live and taped pictures of the aftermath, often using multiple camera angles. News outlets have also deployed crews and reporters to the scene, some of whom are reporting live from watercraft with the remains of the bridge in the background.

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Scott’s call is reminiscent of calls for news organizations to stop airing footage of the World Trade Center towers’ collapse Sept. 11, 2001 (as well as footage of the moments two hijacked planes flew into the buildings). Most news organizations announced guidelines for using the traumatic events in the days and weeks to come, with many limiting it to only when relevant to the story as opposed to be just being used as a video element over the nearly non-stop news coverage that followed the terror attack.

The 9/11 terror attacks ultimately ended up claiming thousands of lives and affecting many more in the long-term, placing its casualty figures well above what the Key Bridge collapse experienced.

There has been no indication that the bridge, which was severely damaged by a cargo ship that had reported technical problems in the minutes leading up to the incident, is the result of terrorism or other intentional act.

Scott’s request has no official impact; there’s little legal precedence for news organizations to be forced to stop running a particular clip, though many will make that call on their own or in conversation with each other, especially when a particular image may be triggering or unsuitable for repeated airing.