Media lust for sensationalism

Jim Sprague of the Pregnancy Resource Center in Grand Rapids, MI, was recently interviewed by a local TV reporter, to get his reaction to the Obama presidency. He explained they intend to do “what we’ve been doing for nearly 2½ decades: loving women in crisis pregnancy situations, helping them to choose life and staying committed to walking with them even if they don’t,” and described all the services they offer. There was a long silence. Then she finally said, “Wow. I didn’t realize you did all that.” Jim goes on, “The conversation abruptly ended because I wasn’t helping her get her story. While she seemed genuinely impressed with the work being done at the PRC, she finally tipped her hand.” She wanted to know, “Is there someone in Grand Rapids I could call that is more controversial?” As he hung up, it occurred to Jim that helping women and their families isn’t sensational enough to sell the story. “When I got home that night I read in the newspaper the story of a man in another town who drove his car into the local abortion clinic. ‘Jesus told me to do it,’ he said. Now that sells.”