Television: Maupin Funeral Pre-Empts Sports

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Maupin Funeral Pre-Empts Sports

Some viewers won’t be happy, but local TV stations are doing the right thing by pre-empting the NBA playoffs, PGA golf and possibly part of the NHL playoffs to broadcast Staff Sgt. Matt Maupin's funeral 1-2 p.m. Sunday from Great American Ball Park. You expect local news stations to cover the big story, and certainly the Maupin capture and the Colerain firefighters funerals are very big stories.

The good news is that the stations have found alternative outlets for the Cleveland-Washington NBA playoff game and Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf tournament. The toughest decision had to be at WXIX-TV (Channel 19), which has opted to broadcast the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway at 1:30 p.m. and stream the funeral online.

Here are the funeral coverage plans:

Saturday morning: Channels 5, 9 and 12 will cover the arrival of Maupin’s body at Lunken Airport.

Sunday
Channel 5: Live funeral coverage on TV and web. Will join 2 p.m. Detroit-Colorado NHL playoff game in progress.
Channel 9: Live funeral coverage on TV and web. First game of ABC’s NBA doubleheader, Cleveland-Washington at 12:30 p.m., will air in its entirety on Channel 64. ABC's second NBA game, San Antonio-Phoenix at 3:30 p.m., will air entirely on Channel 9.
Channel 12: Live funeral coverage on TV and web. Final round of Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf tournament from Savannah, Ga., airs 1-3 p.m. completely on sister CinCW digital station.
Channel 19: Funeral video on web.

If you ran Ch 19, would you have blown off Talladega for live funeral coverage?

54 Comments:

at 4/23/2008 3:15 PM

Anonymous said...

Absolutely. And I wouldnt use crawlers across the bottom of the screen either!

at 4/23/2008 3:37 PM

Anonymous said...

This is total political incorrectness but... the Iraq death toll 4354 as of this posting, according to http://icasualties.org/oif/ . Did the other 4353 funerals "stop the world" as is the Maupin funeral? Maybe they should have, but they didn't. So why is this one so different? Yes, he was the only MIA but now that he's not, what makes this case still so special? I feel like we've been celebrating (his life and heroism), honoring, and mourning since the day he appeared on the video clip. Since this is being held at GABP, they have the means and should put the name and photo of every one of the other 4353 on the video board. If not, then why not?

By the way, this is not about the preempting of programming. I wouldn't have watched any of it anyway.

at 4/23/2008 3:55 PM

Anonymous said...

to Anon 4/23 3:37.
You are absolutely correct. could not have said it better.

at 4/23/2008 3:58 PM

Anonymous said...

My heart goes out to the Maupins, but I don't understand the special hero status. All the young men and women are heroes. Why single out one?

at 4/23/2008 4:15 PM

Anonymous said...

I feel bad for his family, but I have to agree, is a slap on the face for the rest of the soldiers that have die in Iraq.

at 4/23/2008 4:18 PM

Anonymous said...

No I wouldn't preempt it or any other show. Let me join the politically incorrect and say this whole thing has just been an exercise in who can be the most deferential and mawkish. It is sad that Matt died but so have thousands of others. Their parents have quietly gone about their life. No Opening Day parade or Reds luxury box. Just respectfully and tactfully mourning their loss. No flying to the Pentagon to demand answers to unanswerable questions. By the way, who is paying for the massive public spectacle of 24 hour visitation and public funeral.

I barely watch local TV anymore so the scheduling doesn't affect me but the hypocrisy and political grandstanding does.

at 4/23/2008 4:37 PM

Anonymous said...

The idea of posting the other names (and photos) of all the others makes sense to me.I have a nephew by marriage over there now, and we have him on our active service list at church.
Also hope that city is prepared if that horrible mean spirited man Phelps shows up.
from the neighborhood

at 4/23/2008 5:15 PM

Anonymous said...

Anon 3:37...
Amen. I've been reluctant to bring this up but, with all due respect, ENOUGH ALREADY!
If I'm a parent of another local soldier KIA, I am really ticked off... REALLY ticked off.
If my son/daughter was killed in combat during his/her 3rd tour, I am even more ticked off.
Again, God Bless Matt and his family, but let's face it, he was there for a minute, was captured and quickly killed. God rest his soul.
I'm sorry, he was a soldier doing his job. Captured. Killed.
No heroics. Doing his job.

The drumbeat of Maupin, Maupin, Maupin, and now the city shuts down for the day----ENOUGH!

Just-----enough....

at 4/23/2008 6:44 PM

Scott Chumley said...

Fox 19 should not be airing the Nascar race. I am a diehard nascar fan, but I would miss the first half hour of the race to honor this man. Fox 19 still has a digital subchannel, 19.2, that they could use to air the race. At 2 pm, they could join the race, and not have missed anything but the prerace chatter. Bad move Fox 19.

at 4/23/2008 8:01 PM

Anonymous said...

@3:37pm

I understand what you say about coverage for the 4,353 other casualties, but I think it's more because Matt was the first soldier from iraq who was killed in action in our area-- correct me if I'm wrong.

at 4/23/2008 8:16 PM

Anonymous said...

Of course we're all sorry it happened, but give it a rest already. Seems a bit over the top to hold it at GABP. It should only be streamed on the web, not telecast.

at 4/23/2008 9:27 PM

Anonymous said...

Horrible decision. Make it available on one station, maybe CINCW or My64. Don't pre-empt all stations so that those of us who do not wish to view the funeral do not have to miss programming.

at 4/23/2008 10:02 PM

Anonymous said...

The stations should NOT air this. This is what qualifies as a news story, not entertainment. I can't wait for the ad-libs during the procession from Lunken Airport.

We didn't watch 160+ funerals from those that died at Beverly Hills, we didn't watch the funeral of Joe Nuxhall and we didn't watch the funeral of others. It should be treated with dignity and not as fodder for news promos.

As with the coverage of the firefighers' funeral, it was overkill. Props to WXIX.

So let's see who could be anchoring this, since it will air at 1pm on Sunday.

WLWT-Sandra and Sherree adlibbing, with Brian Hamrick doing play-by-play of the procession "them long hearses are pullin' out AT Lunken" )Thank God Lunken doesn't have a moniker like the Int'l Airport "CVG".

WCPO-Janell Walton with Tom McKee in the field

WKRC- Bob Herzog with Jenn Dalton in the field. Dance Party Sunday!

As for me, I'll have 19 on, with a beer in one hand and my other hand up in the air, putting my 3 up for Dale.

at 4/23/2008 10:04 PM

Anonymous said...

3:37, Since you already know it is total political incorrectness, you don't even deserve a response.

at 4/23/2008 10:16 PM

Anonymous said...

I have to agree with the anonymous poster from 3:37, I am confused why this death is so much more important than the others. Personally knowing cases and families that have lost their relatives in Iraq, they feel similar. It is almost saying that Matt Maupin's death is more important. Again, like the previous poster said, I just don't get it - nothing about the programming either. And, what if another family wanted to have a funeral in GABP?

Just my thoughts, and I have all the respect and wish my condolences to the Maupins,

at 4/24/2008 10:13 AM

Anonymous said...

We spent some time at my bible study class last night discussing the services for Matt Maupin. We all agreed with anonymous 3:37 that all those killed should be visibily recognized on Sunday. Don't know if getting the pictures up is possible given the time frame, but it should definitely be considered
From the neighborhood

at 4/24/2008 10:21 AM

Anonymous said...

No he was not the first from our area to be killed in action in Iraq. The Enquirer even managed to find a listing of several who had also been buried at Gate of Heaven. Just one more sign of the inappropriateness of this whole spectacle. Seems to be a competition of who can find the most parallels and angles.

How many months are we going to have to see all the tattered yellow ribbons along the procession route. Pretty sure all the "volunteers" will be unavailable for clean-up

at 4/24/2008 11:48 AM

Anonymous said...

Can’t wait to watch the ghoulish spectacle of all the politicians and media tripping over each other to make political points and money off the death of a soldier.

I will be VERY interested to see what happens regarding the Maupin’s in the weeks and months following the funeral.

And why is Maupin more deserving of having part of I-275 named after him than the many others who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan? Riddle me that……

at 4/24/2008 12:20 PM

Anonymous said...

When is George Bush going to attend a funeral of a fallen Iraq soldier, or when will the news stations show the body bags being brought back to Dover Air Force Base. Put the draft back in and this stupid war will be over in a heart-beat!

at 4/24/2008 12:44 PM

Anonymous said...

I can not believe how people are posting on this site! It is correct to say that it is very definately politically incorrect. I am very dissapointed to read these comments. The Maupin family themselves are so very supportive of ALL of the solidiers and the families of others who have lost their lives in the service of our country. I can't believe how absolutely heartless the posters sound today on this topic.

at 4/24/2008 12:47 PM

Anonymous said...

Anon 3:37

I'll bet you were nervous that you were gonna get hammered for your comment... You didn't realize that there are a ton of us out here who are thinking the same thoughts...

Personally, and I mean this with no disrespect, but I've had Keith and Carolyn Maupin right up to here.

at 4/24/2008 1:02 PM

Anonymous said...

I think you really have to look at this in some perspective. Most of the local stations have done a good job of paying tribute to each local soldier, marine, etc killed in Iraq. But from death to funeral, its been a matter of days.

Matt Maupin's status has been a story for YEARS. He was consistently in the news - and as a result, generated a following of people who were concerned about him. So that's really why there has been so much more news attention on this particular man.

Was he a hero? Was he just doing his job? I don't know. He was in a position that I don't know I could have handled. None of President Bush's children have signed up to go there - they're too busy writing children's books.

I think that every one of those deaths in Iraq is a shame, especially since most were after the president declared "mission accomplished" and then taunted our foes by saying "Bring it on!"

Well, they did. And now thousands are dead. Thousands more have injuries they will take to their graves. And for what? Iraq is more unstable than ever - its starting to ally itself with Iran - Iraq refuses to spend its oil profits because we're footing the bill as our own economy tanks - and the politicians there are doing nothing to make the country better.

Hate to say it - but at least Saddam Hussein kept Iran at bay (which is why the US put him into power in the 1980s in the first place) and he hated al-qaeda, so they had NO presence there until after we invaded.

What a sad, sad mess this country has created.

at 4/24/2008 1:25 PM

Anonymous said...

Is this about Matt Maupin or his Father and Mother. I believe any soldier who loses their life for this country is a terrible event, but it seems that his parents are looking for the attention here.

How many times has his father and mother been on the radio, in the Reds Opening Day Parade, etc. It's all about the attention.

And why Great American Ball Park. I know Hamilton County built it, but if that be the case, what about the other local heroes.

Marlin Rockhold-Hamilton, OH
Charles Webb-Hamilton, OH
James Miller IV-Cincinnati, OH
Taylor Prazinski-Fairfield, OH
Timothy Hines Jr-Fairfield, OH
Timothy Bell Jr-West Chester, OH
Michael Cifuentes-Fairfield, OH
Christopher Dyer, Cincinnati, OH
David Krueter, Cincinnati, OH
Richard Pummill, Cincinnati, OH
Tyler Swisher, Cincinnati, OH
Bryan Taylor, Milford, OH
Gregory Rogers, Cincinnati, OH
Timothy Roos, Delhi/Cinti, OH
Robert Weber, Western Hills/Cinti, OH
Ricky McGinnis, Hamilton, OH
Gregory Billiter, Villa Hills, KY

These men according to http://icasualties.org/oif/ are the other local soldiers that have lost their life as well. What about them and their families?? Don't they deserve the same treatment.

at 4/24/2008 1:53 PM

Anonymous said...

It's a great move by 19! 19 just gained a lot of respect from me because THEY ARE NOT airing it! We don't need to see this on every station. This should be a story on the news at 6pm or 10pm.

We don't need to see this for three hours. Just like we did not need to see the fighter funeral on every station.

Shame on the other stations for actually airing what should be a private moment.

at 4/24/2008 2:11 PM

Anonymous said...

Wow, what a surprise by all of this. I wonder how many folks out there have had their child, who was a soldier, kidnapped, presumably tortured and beaten and also videotaped for broadcast all over the world. I could probably count those folks on one hand. Only those thugs and God knows what else happened to him---how he died, where he died, when he died. You wouldn't want answers if this was your lost son? I think I would want to know how they (military) are going to recover my son.

The reason the funeral is @ GABP is simple---this has been a huge, ongoing public story for 4 years and it is finally ending. I guess everyone also forgets the support center that the Maupins are a huge part of. I forget how many thousands of care and thank you packages that they have sent soldiers to maybe brighten their day a bit and make the soldier feel a sense of at least someone is thinking of them at home. Oh well, everybody has an opinion and that is why this forum is here!!!

at 4/24/2008 2:19 PM

Anonymous said...

If I were any of these parents, hearing that now there is being proposed a memorial to Matt in a public place---well it would send me into an absolute angry frenzy.

ENOUGH!

at 4/24/2008 3:56 PM

Anonymous said...

Thank you 1:25 for the listing I wasn't in a place to pull that info together when I posted the earlier comment about how many other locals have also lost their lives but didn't get the 24/7 attention.

I am gratified to know I am not alone in my feelings. I have a feeling there are many more who feel the same way.

And care packages...I have personally sent many-to those I know and also those I don't know...just didn't call 5,9,12 and 19 to alert them.

at 4/24/2008 10:05 PM

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry, 2:11 p.m., but the main reason the funeral is at GABP is the Maupins' egos. Their loss, as you correctly point out, is monumental in nature and on a level which most of us will never have to experience. But they've turned their son into a "martyr" because that allows them to meet with the President, ride in the Opening Day parade and the skybox aided and abetted by "journalists".
Missing in all of this "coverage" is the sad loss of a young man and the tremendous potential of his life. He's been turned into a "hero", newsspeak for "prop".

at 4/25/2008 9:07 AM

Anonymous said...

Having known Carolyn Maupin for almost 15 years I am not sure that this very public ceremony is an issue of "ego" but I do wonder who is really pulling the strings with all the "hub-bub" on this sad occasion. At what point do we let the Tri-State become a part of the mourning party? What would we have said if Joe Nuxhall did not have a public viewing...

Anderson Dude

at 4/25/2008 9:45 AM

Anonymous said...

Anon 2:11- couldn't have said it better myself. There were MANY MANY people who thought and prayed for Matt daily for the years he was missing. It's not about his parents' egos, it's about a large number of people wanting to pay respects to a person that they have had in their thoughts and prayers for 4 years now. The use of the ballpark is location and accomodation- NOT EGO. That's ridiculous.

at 4/25/2008 9:47 AM

House of Cards said...

the difference between airing the funeral for the firefighters vs this one is this: there was not any chance all of those in the community could physically attend a funeral held at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, however short of moving Matt's service over to PBS, I would imagine that there is more than adequate seating capacity for all who want to participate in Matt's funeral, leaving those who do not with only one option for television channel come Sunday. I would guess that most of those folks who are not at the funeral at GABP weren't interested anyway, or they would go.

As for Anon 1:02 who wants to lead the whole "Bush's irresponsible and this is a senseless war" charge. Here's some perspective. In all of WWII, there were some 300,000 American Soldiers killed or missing, and on Omaha Beach alone, some 3,000 U.S. soldiers died. While it is certainly sad that over 4,000 of our troops have been killed in Iraq, it is hardly the bloodbath you and your friends in the liberal media would like to have us believe it is.

at 4/25/2008 1:11 PM

Anonymous said...

No disrespect intended, but I have to admit this has become a circus. All the news hounds will have live reports, helicopters, and other talking heads telling us over and over and over and over and over and over and over who was Matt, who are his parents, what they have gone through. Please in my mind, its disrespect to show this on TV. If you want to pay respects , line the road, go to the visitation, and go to the funeral. MAKE IT STOP!!!!!!!

at 4/25/2008 2:17 PM

Anonymous said...

Did you see the Reds hall of Fame will be open & CHARGING ADMISSION DURING MATT MAUPIN'S FUNERAL? The gift shop will also be open to sell you a Reds jersey while you mourn.

What a joke....

at 4/25/2008 2:50 PM

Anonymous said...

I've heard that there are stores in Clermont Co. selling Matt Maupin t-shirts. If true, it just confirms that this has become a for-profit and attention sham.

at 4/25/2008 3:52 PM

Anonymous said...

"Although this is a ballpark," said Reds Public Relations Manager Michael Anderson, "this is not a ballgame. This is Matt Maupin's funeral. People should treat this occasion with reverence."
But Michael Anderson will be glad to accept your "reverence" money at the Reds Hall of Fame (See Anon 2:17). Is this not hypocrisy at its worst. Another example of how ridiculous this has all become.

at 4/25/2008 4:01 PM

Anonymous said...

I mean no disrespect, but the entire Maupin mourning journey has just been done ad nauseum... Honest to God, God rest his soul, but if I hear the name Maupin one more time after Sunday, I'm going to scream. What an incredible slap in the face to all of our other fallen warriors and their families.

I won't be one of those lining Rte. 32 for the procession. I agree with a prior poster: MAKE IT STOP!

at 4/25/2008 7:52 PM

Anonymous said...

The Maupins need to be questioning why their son was there in the first place. The question is why did he die, not how.

at 4/25/2008 8:07 PM

Anonymous said...

I heard some concession stands will be open as well. I am having a hard time imagining how this will be anything at all like a funeral. I think this is being treated more like the world's fair coming to town!

at 4/26/2008 1:11 AM

Anonymous said...

Wow, I'm glad none of you mean any disrespect. Maybe he's getting all this attention b/c he was missing for 4 years. As for his parents, they send care packages to the soldiers there, they raise money for scholarships for local HS students and they raised money for computers so the troops over there could commmunicate with loved ones at home. As for the t-shirts, part of the proceeds from the shirts goes to the Yellow Ribbon Support Center. I really think they would give up all this attention to have their son home, alive and well.

at 4/26/2008 9:40 AM

Anonymous said...

Was watching some of the tv coverage this saturday morning and had to turn it off. What passes for news and reporting in silly damn market makes me SICK!!!!

at 4/26/2008 10:32 AM

Anonymous said...

It’s interesting that some would applaud 19’s decision not to broadcast the funeral, as if this is some sort of moral stance. Since the station is going to show the funeral on the web it is clear they have no opposition to televising it. They simply don’t have the means to put out over the air. I would guess this is mostly a financial decision not a grand moral gesture. This is a business and apparently they can’t afford the financial hit that would come from broadcasting the funeral. 19 followed Matt Maupin’s story as closely as the other stations. They worked with the Yellow Ribbon support Center on a donation drive last spring. Tricia Macke was the MC at the scholarship dinner earlier this year. I would bet everybody in that newsroom wants to broadcast the funeral and is embarrassed they will not. Instead of looking like a “wanna be” news organization, the people on this blog are making them out to be “champions of restraint.” I am sure the bean counters that made this decision are patting themselves on the back, since a tough choice has them smelling like roses.

at 4/26/2008 10:41 AM

Anonymous said...

Amazing. The "media" must be reading this blog... Now, there isn't a single mention of Maupin's name without "AND ALL OF THE OTHER SERVICEMEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES"... The pandering by the media is just so sickening.....
You see, they see there are many who are offended by this overbearing attention to JUST Maupin, when we've lost many in this area; so now, they go into pandering mode.
How offensive.

WLW is all Matt Maupin AND ALL THE OTHERS WHO GAVE THEIR LIFE--all the time. Give it a rest.
Your "ratings and revenue" is showing, Darryl...

at 4/26/2008 12:03 PM

Anonymous said...

So the Reds Museum is Charging people to attend during Matt Maupin's funeral? I called to confirm. Yes they are!!!

I say we protest the Hall of Fame!!

Call them and let them know this IS WRONG!
(513)765-7923

at 4/26/2008 12:10 PM

Anonymous said...

The whole organization is a joke!!
They are going to make money off this poor kid's death.

Phone #'s
Marketing director:Michael
Anderson (513)765-7333
Hall of Fame Head:Rick Walls(513)765-7920
Hall of Fame front desk:(513)765-7923.
Call, Complain, voice you opinion!

at 4/26/2008 12:13 PM

Anonymous said...

Honor the poor kid! Close the gift shop and the museum for one frikin day!

at 4/26/2008 12:16 PM

Anonymous said...

The new Hall of Fame guy must be one cheap S.O.B.

You can't take one day off?
How many folks actually visit on a Sunday?

Greediness rears its ugly head once again.

at 4/26/2008 12:19 PM

Anonymous said...

Another poor decision by the Reds.
Can't they get anything right?

We'll miss you Mr. K

at 4/27/2008 11:34 AM

Anonymous said...

you people just don't get it. he was missing for four years. he finally came home, albiet not the way his family hoped he would, but after four long years, he has finally come home. My son was in Iraq for 15 months and he made it back and I thank God every day for that. But the Maupin homecoming has been four years in the waiting. No, he's no different than my son or any of our other children who died over there, but maybe the attention given to this young man is everyone's way of saying that all lives that have been lost mean something. This soldier had more exposure--not because he was any more special than any other soldier that died--it just took him longer to come home. Give them a break and have some feeling for them.

at 4/27/2008 2:35 PM

Anonymous said...

Heres a question that I have for everyone:

If the local stations (I know David Rose did on Channel 9's morning show as well as others) had not of said that Matt Maupin was dead back in 2002 making them look like Idiots would the local media of gone to this extreme for this one local soldier?

at 4/28/2008 9:50 AM

House of Cards said...

For those of you upset about the Red's HOF being open for business, was it OK that the Benglas Pro Shop at PBS was open? Maybe the Bengals should have told the NFL offices that they couldn't be open for the second day of the draft due to the funeral? Should the Underground Railroad Museum have shuttered their doors for the day too? Maybe we should have just rolled up the sidewalks on the whole stinkin' town? How much is enough already???

P.S. blog admin, please do something about this word verification, it is getting ridiculous.

at 4/30/2008 11:20 PM

Anonymous said...

Amazing...only self serving idiots would consider a tv program more important than a soldier giving his life.

The community has supported Matt from day one and the community he is from supported him to the grave. He was very unselfish, his parents very unselfish, turning a horrible situation into something good for all our troops. Who else did that???

Oh, only the self-serving could make comments that I've seen on this page. For those of you that try to convince missing your "sports" isn't what it is about are not convincing of anything except self-service.

All our troops should be welcomed home this way, dead or alive. Sports make me sick. Big bucks for playing with some kind of ball or car....wow, such heroes...only idiots put these sports people on pedastals....they definitely don't deserve it. Honor the right heroes people.

at 5/01/2008 3:17 PM

House of Cards said...

All our troops should be welcomed home this way, dead or alive. but all our troops AREN't welcomed home this way, are they??? It's not self serving for someone to point out that this has been allowed to go waaaay over the top. I'm not taking anything at all away from this young man, nor his and his family's sacrifice. And I appreciate what his family has focused their energy on with the care packages. They have done a lot of good for a lot of people. Just because I believe the media is overdoing it with this funeral doesn't mean I do not still respect the sacrifices made by this family.

at 5/02/2008 4:47 PM

Anonymous said...

If you truly wanted to pay respects then you should have gone to the funeral and not watched it on TV. That is why it was at the stadium to accomendate the masses attending (sadly less than 4000 showed up). Turn off the TV and pay your respects in person.

at 5/06/2008 8:42 AM

House of Cards said...

If when I die, 3500 people show up for my funeral, I would hope no one in my circle of family or friends would deem that "sad", I would be pretty amazed with that turnout. Maybe though now folks will understand why some of us thought the media coverage was way overboard. Maybe had they not done the live, wall-to-wall coverage they did, that number might have actually been higher. And they still could have fulfilled their obligation to bring the story to the public by keeping the coverage within the confines of their regularly scheduled newscasts.

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Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Maupin Funeral Pre-Empts Sports

54 Comments: