How NBC News Dealt With Killer’s Mail Package

At noon, NBC News President Steve Capus was called out of a news meeting by security chief Brian Patton and told what had been delivered.

“At first I wondered if it was real, but when you look at it and see all the pictures you realize that it is,” he said.

The package contained a DVD with 28 video clips, and a 23-page printout of a computer file that mixed rambling, profane messages with 43 pictures of the killer. Eleven photos showed him aiming a gun at the camera.

One photograph showed 30 hollow-point bullets, with the message written underneath: “All the s— you gave me right back at you with hollow points.”

“I recoiled in horror,” Capus said. “It was chilling.”

Through NBC’s Justice Department correspondent, Pete Williams, NBC reached out to authorities. A representative of the FBI’s New York office came to NBC to get the originals, and NBC was asked not to say anything about it publicly until investigators could examine it, a request Capus thought was appropriate. The first public word of what NBC had wasn’t released until a news conference in Blacksburg around 4:30 p.m. EDT.

“If we wanted to do something competitive, we would have popped it on the air immediately,” Capus said.

Authorities still hadn’t fully examined Cho’s DVD and it wasn’t until after 6 p.m. that NBC had an official OK to show some of his filmed message. NBC’s “Nightly News” aired portions at 6:30 p.m.Except for one still picture aired earlier on MSNBC, that broadcast was the first to show extensive details of what NBC received.

“We are sensitive to how all of this will be seen by those affected,” said NBC anchor Brian Williams. “We know we are in effect airing the words of a murderer.”

On Thursday NBC News released a statement explaining their reasoning behind airing the photographs and videos.

“Upon receiving the materials from Cho Seung-Hui, NBC News took careful consideration in determining how the information should be distributed. We did not rush the material onto air, but instead consulted with local authorities, who have since publicly acknowledged our appropriate handling of the matter. Beginning this morning, we have limited our usage of the video across NBC News, including MSNBC, to no more than 10 percent of our airtime,”they said in a statement.

“Our Standards and Policies chief reviewed all material before it was released. One of our most experienced correspondents, Pete Williams handled the reporting. We believe it provides some answers to the critical question, ‘why did this man carry out these awful murders?’ The decision to run this video was reached by virtually every news organization in the world, as evidenced by coverage on television, on websites and in newspapers. We have covered this story ? and our unique role in it ? with extreme sensitivity, underscored by our devoted efforts to remember and honor the victims and heroes of this tragic incident. We are committed to nothing less,” the statement concluded.

NBC’s evening-news competitors, ABC’s “World News” and the “CBS Evening News,” managed to swiftly air portions of what NBC released only minutes after it came on the air.

“They seem to have acted honorably,” said ABC News spokesman Jeffrey Schneider. “They turned the information over to the authorities swiftly and they reported it out.”

Some competitive anger flashed at the 4:30 news conference when Col. Steve Flaherty of the Virginia State Police announced that the package had been received by NBC, offered a brief description, and abruptly left the room. Reporters in the packed conference hall shouted, “C’mon,” “What?” and “No questions?” as authorities filed out silently.

“There are a lot of questions,” one reporter shouted.

For both NBC and Capus, it was the second time in a week they found themselves at the center of the nation’s biggest story. Capus announced last week that MSNBC would no longer simulcast Don Imus’ radio show following racist and sexist remarks Imus made about the Rutgers women’s basketball team. CBS then fired Imus.