NASA launched the Crew-9 Mission last September with just 2 Astronauts. Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore. Their mission was supposed to last for 8 days only. But there was a malfunction in their spacecraft. Therefore, they were stranded there for more than 9 months. (Sounds like the TV show Gilligan’s Island.) (If you want to know more about Gilligan’s Island – Please Google it.)
Finally, last week ground control sent a SpaceX Crew Dragon Spacecraft to bring both of them back to earth. They successfully splashed down yesterday near Florida.
Some background. When elected to Office, Trump said his priority is to bring these 2 Astronauts back to earth. He asked Elon Musk to take charge of it because the company SpaceX is owned by him. He sent the SpaceX Crew Dragon Spacecraft to bring them home.
There was wide coverage world wide for their splash down near Florida. Indian press and news media went one step further to give more publicity than necessary.
However, there was a big silence in the American press and news media. Only Fox News covered it extensively. We all know Fox News is the only media that is 100% pro Trump. Rest of the networks and print media just barely mentioned this. Why? Just because they do not like Trump, they do not want to cover this news. Plus, most of them never mentioned SpaceX is owned by Elon Musk. Apparently, they thought it will give credit to Trump.
My question is are they news reporters or opinion makers? We rely on journalists to provide us with accurate and unbiased information. In USA, they behave like opinion makers. They do not want to report about anything that is happening that would look good on Trump. Exact opposite is Fox News. Every news reporter in Fox News say that Trump is God and walks on water.
I thought our country media people only are biased. I was under the impression USA media people will be fair and just. Full appreciation to Trump for having kept up his word
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Gowri. Here the left wing has a vengeance against Trump personally. They cannot digest Trump's win just like Trump could not digest Biden's win in 2020.
DeleteEven here they seem to be opinion makers! The Indian media covered this extensively bcos Sunita is Indian origin. The other person's name was sidelined.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Rajesh.
DeleteIt was a remarkable achievement to bring back safely the four crew members to earth t was watching the smooth opreration with awe and excitement.Indians are specially happy because of Sunita being one of the members. All credit to those who made this possible.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Mr. KP. It is all good except most of the network and news media boycotted this historic achievement.
DeleteI am sure all media organisations around the world, not just in the US and India, would have covered it.
ReplyDeleteHow extensively the coverage was would obviously have varied.
I doubt if anyone totally blacked out the event.
Astronauts going to space and coming back is now nothing new. It was in the late 80s and 90s. It has stopped being big news.
But this was different.
Irrespective of who the astronauts were, or to which country they belonged, or who brought the astronauts back, the whole event had high news value.
Because such a thing had never happened in the past.
One of the definitions of news is "an event that is new".
This was an unprecedented happening, especially from the point of view of the two astronauts.
Actually, there was no politics in this. So, it shouldn't have been looked at through a political prism.
It's really unfortunate if the coverage was on political lines.
I was following the whole event not on any TV channel, but on NASA's YouTube channel.
Here in India also the whole thing has acquired many colours, political, national and cultural.
I am trying my best to consciously keep away from all those conversations, some of which are total silly and ridiculous!
Thanks for your comments Pradeep. Here in USA, they didn't black out. They, except Fox News, mentioned this for a few minutes in passing.
DeleteT.N. Governor, CM greet Sunita Williams on her safe return
ReplyDeleteChief Minister M.K. Stalin also welcomed the safe return of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who were struck in the International Space Station for 287 days.
T.N. Governor, CM not appreciated Elon Musk or Trump ?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Anonymous.
ReplyDelete