My 2 Cents: Media Circus In Ferguson

I watched the cable coverage of the riots in Ferguson late last night, and I was, quite frankly, embarrassed by what I saw on many fronts.

When the unrest started nine days ago, following the shooting death of Michael Brown, it was genuine anger and frustration that boiled over and the media did a good job of documenting it. But last night, all I kept thinking was, everyone is trying to have their "riot moment" on TV, including the correspondents.

Last night, I saw journalists, that I respect, half joking, on air about whether or not to put on their gas masks when some tear gas smoke drifted by.

One eventually admitted that there were far more reporters and photographers on the street than there were protesters at that point. Shouldn't that translate to, "With that we wrap our coverage for the night from Ferguson."

But it went on.

I've seen protesters shove others out of the way to get their moment on camera, then walk away smiling and high fiving with their friends.

The protests, the violence, the coverage all seem contrived now, and that's a real setback for those in Ferguson who are genuinely trying to effect some change there.

Don't get me wrong, I know there is real anger in Ferguson, but that message has been drowned out by the circus that starts up when the sun goes down.

I'm Kelly Ogle and that's My 2 Cents.