On Sunday, CNN’s former technology reporter, Miles O’Brien, spoke to a group of 100 space enthused Twitterers—myself included—at the Kennedy Space Center as part of a two-day gathering hosted by NASA in anticipation of today’s launch of the space shuttle Atlantis. The self-described “Recovering Correspondent” discussed the dying role that his former employer and the mainstream media is playing in covering events like the space shuttle launch and basically said that they just send the news trucks in case things blow up or what he affectionately called “Deathwatch journalism.”
He also described how CNN’s interest in space and science began. It apparently was AT&T’s idea, not Ted Turner’s. Watch him speak the truth while shamelessly plugging his new venture, spaceflightnow.com, in the video below.
Photo/Video: Bucky Turco/ANIMALnewyork
I always enjoyed Miles' enthusiasm for "space stuff" on CNN. It was very contagious. I felt like he could make people better understand something complex about space exploration (the How and Why).
Good Morning! Today is July 8, 2011 and I just learned I would not hear Miles O'Brien heading the commentary of the last NASA Launch. Sad. His choice and selection of words in describing the "complex subject of space exploration (the How and Why)" enabled me to understand and share the enthusiasm, in the moment, of each event. Miles, to me, linked my prayers, my pride and awesome reverence for the technological advances made by the USA with millions of others. Listening to Miles always gave me the impression that Walter Cronkite was right there in spirit saying, "And thats' the way it is."