VHS VIDEO REVIEWS -- "The Kennedy Assassination: November 22, 1963" (As-It-Happened News Coverage)(NBC-TV Archival Footage)(Part 1 & Part 2)
David Von Pein
1963......
VIA THE NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY (NBC-TV)......
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001HLT66
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001HLT6G
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"The Kennedy Assassination -- Part 1" features two solid hours of
NBC-TV "As-It-Is-Happening" news coverage from Friday, November 22,
1963 -- the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in downtown
Dallas, Texas, while riding in his open-top limousine through Dealey
Plaza.
This VHS videotape begins with NBC's "Live" TV coverage at
approximately 12:50 PM (Dallas time), or 20 minutes after President
Kennedy was shot from the Texas School Book Depository Building on Elm
Street. The tape starts at the exact point when NBC began "rolling
tape". The network had been on the air live for several minutes prior
to when this video begins, but technicians hadn't begun recording the
footage until quite a few minutes later.
This "raw" footage of NBC's first-rate coverage of 11/22/63 includes
the dramatic and sad moment when JFK is pronounced dead by NBC newsman
Frank McGee (as he gets the official word while talking on the phone to
fellow correspondent Robert MacNeil, who was in Dealey Plaza when the
shooting occurred).
Presidential assassin Lee Harvey Oswald, 45 minutes after killing JFK
from his 6th-floor perch in the Book Depository, shot and killed a
Dallas city police officer (J.D. Tippit) in the Oak Cliff section of
the city, and was captured shortly thereafter while attempting to hide
in the darkened "Texas Theater", a short distance from the Tippit
murder scene. Tippit's murder and Oswald's arrest are also, of course,
covered during this two-hour videotape.
This type of "Live" coverage of a major news event is always very
interesting to watch years and decades later. The capacity of NBC's
facilities (and personnel) was stretched to their limits during the
four days of virtually non-stop TV news coverage that occurred between
approx. 1:40 PM (Eastern Time) on November 22nd and the conclusion of
JFK's funeral on Monday, November 25th.
The JFK assassination is considered by many as a "turning point" in the
world of TV news reporting. A story this huge had never been covered
before during the "TV era". And when looking back on the original
footage by all three major TV networks (NBC, CBS, and ABC), there are a
number of "what do we do next?" moments shown live to everyone in
America. But, under the stressful circumstances, I think this was to be
expected. In my opinion, the TV networks did an outstanding job of
covering the sorrowful events of that November weekend in 1963.
I think it's also very interesting to note (while viewing the many
hours of TV footage that exist from those four days in November) that
virtually ALL of the information being reported by all the TV networks
favored a "Lone Assassin" scenario, with very, very little evidence and
info to support any type of a "conspiracy" whatsoever. This fact, IMO,
is quite telling. Because, in my view, IF a vast conspiracy and
subsequent "cover-up" had been in place on November 22, 1963, I believe
(given the immense amount of TV coverage, with reporters scrutinizing
everything coming across their news desks during those initial hours
and days after JFK was killed) at least SOME pieces of the conspiracy
would have leaked through to the sweeping television coverage of the
event.
To think (as many theorists do) that these conspirators were so smart
and quick to immediately eliminate virtually every last scrap of info
leading to a "plot" of some kind, making sure none of the multi-shooter
plan seeped through to the media, is to think (IMO) that any such
evil-doers were akin to "Superman"!
For example -- Virtually all initial reports concerning the exact
number of rifle shots heard by witnesses in Dealey Plaza stated "3
shots". And while it's true that the very first report of the shooting
from UPI's Merriman Smith (which was broadcast over all the TV
networks) stated "Three shots were fired...", it's also worth noting
that Smith's initial bulletin was not the ONLY "three-shots" account
that was reported during those early hours just after the shooting.
For instance, Jay Watson of ABC affiliate WFAA-TV in Dallas (who
happened to be in Dealey Plaza during the shooting and nervously
reported the first bulletins to the unaware Dallas TV audience) is
heard multiple times on November 22 saying he heard "3 shots" fired.
Plus, other members of the media are also on film relaying their own
personal beliefs that exactly three shots were fired by the assassin.
Could these ultra-clever conspirators have somehow managed to
"manipulate" several reporters who were relaying the news live to the
world immediately after the event, and have them ALL report on hearing
just "three shots"? Or were the conspiratorial shooters so good that
they made 4 or 5 shots SOUND like only three? Highly doubtful, IMO. The
"synchronized" shooting scenario is possible, I suppose. But I just
don't buy into those theories claiming various conspiracy scenarios,
some theories incorporating a ludicrously-enormous number of up to
SEVEN rifle shots being fired in Dealey Plaza! Utter nonsense, given
the known and available evidence!
The history-making date of "11-22-63" will be remembered forever as the
tragic day when President John F. Kennedy's life was ended so
violently. This videotape brings back that day in vivid detail, as told
by the NBC newsmen who reported the solemn events to a grieving nation.
David Von Pein
September 2004
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For a VHS review of "The Kennedy Assassination -- Part 2" (and for some
"Wishful DVD Thinking" with respect to the events of November 22nd,
1963) -- click the link below:
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