The EgyptAir 990 plane crash has developed into yet another disturbing benchmark in a seemingly unbroken sequence of hyper-media obsessions and wild speculation over tragic events, leaving much of their audience gasping for a break.

Even more troubling is the news media's exploitation of victims and their families, the relentless pressure they put upon authorities and the over-reactions caused by excessive media exposure. Indeed, the fallout from media epics like Oklahoma City, Princess Diana, O.J. Simpson, TWA 800, Columbine High School and JFK Jr. wreaked havoc with government authorities, the justice system, our schools and the public mind -- all of which brings us to the biggest worry of the century.

Clearly, the country is steeped in uncertainty over what will happen when the clock strikes Year 2000, thus, making people vulnerable to concerns more frightening than the unknowns of the Y2K Bug. Given the news media's propensity to prematurely sound alarms, the greatest fear becomes the possibility of terrorism coupled with the probability of media-driven chaos building up to the event that could cause a devastating national panic.

Certainly, the media should handle the approach to this potentially dangerous and volatile event with the common sense, caution and restraint lest we be subjected to far more harm than help from the press.

DANIEL B. JEFFS

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