What the Future May Hold for Media Reporters

Recent televised rock throwing encounters in Jerusalem were somewhat troubling to a purist like myself. There was the usual configuration in place. A small groups of youths throwing rocks at the police. But, that's not what concerned me. No, it wasn't the combatants, but the sizable crowd of media people that were straining for good camera angles even as rocks whizzed by their heads. I wasn’t sure at one point which was larger, the police or the media. (At least the police had plastic shields with which to ward off incoming rock missiles. The reporters and cameramen were not so lucky and I understand one unfortunate even got injured).

So, is this going to be a trend or what? Will future confrontations look somewhat like a meatball sandwich with the fighting factions surrounded on all sides by hundreds of cameras, sound men and reporters? At some critical juncture, will a CNN or Fox reporter pick up a stone and throw it himself? These imaginings trouble me to say the least. I can even foresee a disastrous encounter where two groups of media, each representing one side, will drop their equipment and battle each other while the people who should be fighting stand around watching in awe. Actually, that would make for very interesting news!