When Does 9/11 Anniversary Coverage Become Too Much?

By Jane McInnis

With the 12th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, some take a moment to reflect on the horrifying day in 2001.

Others fixate.

"The pain, the outrage, the loss – these never fade. The amount of journalism, however, must," wrote the editor for the New York Times in an article that appeared in 2012.

The editorial appeared after the Times made no front-page mention of the attacks on Sept. 11, 2012.

Heavy pre-anniversary programming has been criticized since 2002. This year is no exception, with many scheduled television programs appearing throughout the week.

While it may seem like overkill to some, others see anniversary specials as a way of grieving.

"Certainly, it can be a national vicarious group therapy, in terms of sharing the memories, the sadness, the strength and the empowerment," Sharon Brennan, a psychologist based in New York City said in a USA Today story in 2011.

The New York Times demonstrated a particular tact to covering the event in the 10-year anniversary, by focusing on how it affected victims in the present, without fixating on the past.

Which brings us to 2013.

Is there too much coverage today, or is this a nation's way of grieving and reflecting?

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