In 1896, Guglielmo Marconi invented radio. On Wednesday, another Marconi destroyed it.
On Wednesday morning, Portland disk jockey “Marconi” played the audio track from the most gruesome video on the market, that of the beheading of Nick Berg in Iraq. If you thought that video was the worst thing in the world, Marconi’s replay was even worse. By 1,000 percent.
Marconi, KNRK’s resident “shock jock,” didn’t just play the audio track of the video. He set music to it and cracked jokes with co-host “Tiny” and producer Nik J. Miles. Thankfully, all three were fired and the show was yanked off the air. The station refused to release the real names of the two DJs to The Associated Press.
I’m not so sure that canceling the show is enough. Marconi deserves much worse. He should be sent to Afghanistan to root out terrorist cells with a water gun. He should be forced to read bedtime stories to Saddam Hussein in jail.
Berg is the ultimate victim in this situation. He was a 26-year-old from suburban Philadelphia who reportedly went to Iraq to find business for his small communications company. His murder was brutal, a message and seen by thousands. His memorial service was closed to outsiders but still attended by 500 people.
And the worst of it is, some people in the world think that Berg’s beheading was fair retaliation for American soldiers’ abuse of Iraqi prisoners. According to a Chicago Tribune story which ran in the Emerald on Thursday, one Gaza mother even said Berg “deserved it.”
So this thing is serious. Everything relating to war in a time of war is serious. That’s what makes Marconi’s act even more deplorable.
But Marconi isn’t the only one suffering at the hands of the Nick Berg video. In Villa Park, Calif., an English teacher was placed on leave because he let his students access the video on a classroom computer. The teacher, Steven Arcudi, said he didn’t give out the address of the video but several students say he did.
The Associated Press reported that at least two other California teachers have been placed on leave in similar situations. Seriously, why do you need to show the video? Are you not getting enough violence off “NYPD Blue” and “The Shield?”
But back to Marconi, who is hardly a teacher. The teachers’ actions are somewhat justified by the fact that they presented the video in an educational setting, even if they didn’t show it for educational reasons. Marconi didn’t present a sliver of news value when he played the clip. He laughed as a man’s head was cut off.
Marconi offered a sincere vocal apology on his Web site. He said he already put himself through more punishment than anybody else ever could. But as sincere as that sounded, I don’t think personal punishment is enough for Marconi.
Let’s shock the “shock jock.” Let’s tape a radio to his head and replay his shocking segment over and over. Let’s make him man the KNRK phones, which have been ringing solid since Wednesday. And I can guarantee that not many people are calling to congratulate Marconi on his journalistic integrity.
Whatever we do, it won’t be enough punishment for one of the most despicable acts I’ve ever heard of.