Kill the hype

You undoubtedly know about the D.C.-area sniper. The string of shootings has captivated the nation through and through, unseating the upcoming midterm elections and even the war on Iraq as the top story in the newspapers and on television. Why are we so fascinated with the so-called Beltway Sniper? Maybe it's our serial killer obsessed culture, coupled with the unnerving randomness with which he seems to choose his victims. The story is undeniably important, especially to the residents of the D.C.-area. But how much coverage is too much? At what point does the news stop informing and start entertaining?\nUpdates in the sniper case should certainly be covered, and experts with fresh and valuable perspectives on the case should be interviewed. News is repeated throughout the day, which is understandable, particularly on 24-hour news networks. But the coverage has gone beyond this, ballooning into indulgence. Networks repeat the same information, hour after hour, day after day. The same experts come on the same stations and give the same psychological profiles of the sniper as they did two days before, even when nothing new has happened in the meantime. The media has the right and the responsibility to provide informative updates and expert opinions, but excessive coverage between actual developments in the case is unnecessary.\nDisproportionate coverage of the sniper case means reduced coverage of other, perhaps more important news. A potential invasion of Iraq, for which the president has been given Congres-sional approval, has taken a back seat to the sniper. The midterm elections are eight days away, and even they have been supplanted. Thirty-four seats are open in a Senate in which Democrats currently have a one-vote majority. The last few episodes of "Crossfire," CNN's political debate show, have focused primarily, when not exclusively, on the sniper. The guests to the show have been experts offering their psychological profiles of the sniper and members of Congress congratulating the Montgomery County police department on how it has handled the case -- there has been no political debate. Even Lou Dobbs, host of CNN's "Moneyline," has talked about the sniper. \nThe case of the D.C.-area sniper is indisputably of national interest -- everyone is concerned about it, and everyone should be. The media is responsible for informing the public of developments in the case and presenting any information that might be relevant.\nThe media, in conjunction with law enforcement, might even eventually help solve the case. But the coverage should be kept moderate. The media should not indulge in the shootings -- information and opinions should be presented and repeated sensibly. We should not let the sniper case overshadow other important news. It's crucial that the news remain informative, and not forgo its responsibility to inform for a chance to entertain our fascinations.