Television networks and cable news outlets carried live pictures of the evident terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon this morning. The networks had just begun broadcasting news reports of the aftermath of the American Airlines crash into the first tower of the WTC at 8:50 a.m. when a second plane was seen plowing into the other tower.
An hour later, the networks switched to photographs of smoke billowing out of the Pentagon.
Shortly thereafter, the second building of the WTC collapsed. As it did, ABC’s Peter Jennings appeared to have difficulty catching his breath, then remarked, “My God.”
While many news anchors continued to caution that there was no confirmation that the explosions amounted to a terrorist strike, NBC’s Tom Brokaw had no such reluctance. “There has never been an event to match the magnitude of this [attack],” he said, calling it “carefully coordinated.”
About a half hour later, the first building that had been hit also collapsed, bringing down with it remaining TV, radio and mobile-telephone transmitters at the top. News anchors were often unable to contact their reporters in the field.
In New York, local anchors, who often sounded rattled by the confusion, attempted futilely to communicate with reporters.
Most of the coverage focused on the World Trade Center disaster, with networks cutting away occasionally to scenes of the devastation at the Pentagon. Three hours after the attacks occurred, TV reporters were still unable to estimate the extent of casualties.
