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04/20/93
Television news showed horror of destruction
By Ken Parish Perkins / The Dallas Morning News
Television news, ready, willing and waiting for the past 51 days, gave viewers a front row seat Monday in the standoff between cult leader David Koresh and federal officials.
The pictures were ghoulish and shocking. Viewers, some calling television stations to object to the images, watched live as a wind-driven fire burned the Branch Davidians' frame compound to the ground.
As anchors delivered conflicting reports-did two cult members confess to torching the building? Was that eight survivors or 30? -- field reporters scrambled to answer the questions. Did Mr. Koresh burn to death? Were there children still inside the house?
All three local affiliates, Channels 4, 5 and 8, stayed with the story through live reports, using pairs of anchors in the studio and reporters in the field who tried to explain to viewers what they were seeing. CNN reported live all day from Waco. CBS, NBC and ABC broke into regular programming across the country for about an hour after the fire started.
Locally, Channel 5 took the early lead, going on the air at 6:07 a.m., minutes after the assault began. News director Dave Overton said the station had learned of the FBI's plans late Sunday night.
"We just had a source that told us something might happen,' Mr.
Overton said. "We sent a full crew there and waited. We knew it was going to happen. We just didn't know when.'
When it did, viewers watched as an armored vehicle smashed through doors, walls and windows to insert tear gas. Flames first appeared from a second floor window around noon. With winds gusting to 35 mph, fire spread quickly, engulfing the building in less than 30 minutes.
"This is a devastating fire,' said Brad Watson, who was anchoring Channel 8's coverage. "How can anyone survive these flames?'
Mr. Overton defended using footage of the burning building and its gruesome images repeated over and over in taped replays.
"There was no second-guessing at all,' Mr. Overton said.
"Especially while it was happening. It was a tragic situation. We all agree on that. But we were all in the same boat when the smoke started coming out. We felt it was important that we stayed with it.
"In 20/20 hindsight, we might have done something differently. But sitting here right now, I can't imagine what that would be.'
Many interviews triggered heartfelt responses. Bonnie Haldeman, Mr.
Koresh's mother, told CNN's Bonnie Anderson that the government agents "said they wouldn't do anything drastic. That they would let him write his book. I was surprised. It scares me because those are not bad people in there.'
But the most gripping came from FBI spokesman Bob Ricks, who said during an afternoon press conference that dozens of people were killed.
"And what about the children?' shouted one reporter.
"We have to assume,' Agent Ricks said, "that they're dead.'
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