This Shocking New York Daily News Cover of Alton Sterling Is Drawing Heavy Responses
One of the areas of media commentary we’ve been featuring heavily as of late as the tabloids right here in New York City: the conservative New York Post, and the left-leaning New York Daily News, each of whom use their 12″x10″ real estate to ridicule, mock, or slam the story of the day.
Thursday morning’s edition of the Daily News unsurprisingly put the emphasis on the tragic shooting death of 37-year-old Alton Sterling, the Baton Rouge native who was killed by two white police officers Tuesday. The death in a convenience store parking lot set off a wave of protests; the leader of the local NAACP called on the police chief and mayor both to resign.
Never one to shy away from the controversial and declarative front cover, the Daily News depicted the image of Sterling’s body for all to see:
An early look at tomorrow’s front page:
HIS HANDS WERE EMPTY#AltonSterling didn’t pull gun https://t.co/S5BDVXyGyC pic.twitter.com/CtctbfZ1cJ— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) July 7, 2016
Reaction from social media was as swift as it was mixed. While many feel that the cover is an unfortunately appropriate way to convey the tragedy, others questioned — as they have in the past — if the New York Daily News took things a step too far:
@NYDailyNews really?! Did this actually have to be the front cover?!
— Paola Massiel (@_PaolaMassiel) July 7, 2016
@_PaolaMassiel @NYDailyNews If you think the image is being used for sales, then you’re lost.
— Waiting… (@NYTallPeople) July 7, 2016
@_PaolaMassiel @NYTallPeople @NYDailyNews people need to see this. It is important that it does sell so people see this!
— Ygidi (@GoldenGhyftes) July 7, 2016
@_PaolaMassiel @NYTallPeople @NYDailyNews I’d rather have his story blasted all over New York than be brushed aside
— Justin (@JMas_APD) July 7, 2016
And to all those who think it’s “tasteless”? If that was my father I’d want that picture on a billboard. @NYDailyNews
— Wendy Harmer (@wendy_harmer) July 7, 2016
@Sportsfeeder1 tabloids will tabloid. This is their business, good and bad.
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) July 7, 2016
@NYDailyNews wtf is this?!
— Johnetta Elzie (@Nettaaaaaaaa) July 7, 2016
@NYDailyNews We sanitize the fuck out of this shit. Maybe it’s time people saw the truth?
— ShitHillarySays (@shitHRCsays) July 7, 2016
And now I’ll have to avoid the @NYDailyNews covers all day tomorrow. I do not get this judgement call.
— Abby West (@AbbyWestNYC) July 7, 2016
—
J.D. Durkin (@jiveDurkey) is an editorial producer and columnist at Mediaite.
Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com
