How JFK's assasination changed the media

Rarely does a news story reach the echelon of "I'll-always-remember-where-I-was-and-what-I- was-doing-when-I saw-that" moment. To date, I can think of only five within my lifetime:

•  O.J. Simpson's Ford Bronco slow-speed car chase down the I-405 freeway
• September 11th
• The finding of Elizabeth Smart
• The news report that Osama Bin Laden was captured and killed
• The Boston Marathon bombings 

It's these types of stories that make "watching the news" transcend to "living the news." People become glued to television screens, constantly check their phones, and patiently await any new information. You could drop into a restaurant in Boise, Idaho and overhear the same discussions that people are having in a Boston pub. 

Although it happened fifty years ago, the drama of the JFK assassination still ranks right up at the top of memorable media coverage. In fact, many of the techniques the media now uses to cover big news stories were developed in the wake of the presidential shooting.      

The image of of the infamous event, with the oblivious spectators, confused passengers, and sudden car acceleration has been burned into the minds of those who witnessed the breaking story. That's in a large part due to the networks' use of instant replay, a first for that time. For an unprecedented four days of continuous coverage, people all over the country watched and waited for answers, which were slow to come by. Television cemented itself as one of the top sources for breaking news, and TV news networks reaped the profits of a steady popularity growth. 

The standard of covering big breaking news stories was set by the coverage of the JFK assassination. We never know when the next transcendent news story will hit us. But we know that when it does, we'll all be watching.