Anderson Cooper Says No to Heath Ledger Coverage

CNN host Anderson Cooper set his foot down last night, refusing to cover the death of Heath Ledger until hard facts and new evidence turns up. Here’s what he had to say on the 360 blog:

“For the last two nights we have reported on actor Heath Ledger. His shocking death is clearly a story a lot of people are interested in, but tonight we will not be reporting more on it. The truth is there is not really anything new to report.

The full results of the various tests done on Mr. Ledger will not be ready for perhaps a few weeks and there is very little new information. I have no doubt other networks will spend a lot of time tonight discussing his death and the various rumors about what might have caused it, but I am not a fan of speculation, so unless there is something really new to discuss we probably won’t be covering it anymore anytime soon.”

Star Jones also wrote a similar piece about Heath on HuffingtonPost.com.

Says Star, “Might I suggest that we in the media, instead of reporting on the dead based on gossip, rumor, innuendo and anonymous sources, choose to honor this man’s memory based on his talent and the good taste we all should be exercising. My heart goes out to the family of Heath Ledger.”

72 Comments

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# 1
ace tomato @ 01/25/2008 at 9:06 am

Wow. In death, Heath may have inspired a long overdue revolution in good taste and true journalism. That would be one amazing legacy in itself.

I hope it catches on =)

# 2

GOD BLESS ANDERSON COOPER AND STAR JONES.

It’s about time the once-credible news sources stopped picking up their stories from blog rumors and hearsay like the tabloid rags do.

# 3

I don’t know much about Anderson Cooper, but he’s right.
I keep seeing Heath Ledger’s death on News channels saying the same things all the time!

# 4

So many of us are having trouble accepting that this horrible thing really happened. So we watch for anything. Seeing Heath alive and smiling on TV makes his death even harder to accept. I am glad Anderson C. has done this. I love Heath. speculating about him, saying terrible things no one can prove, rerunning the pictures of them removing his body, etc. it is all too much. I love Heath. Thank you Anderson.

# 5

Good for you, Anderson Cooper, and thank you for your tact and consideration in light of this horrible tragedy. God bless Heath.

# 6

Thank you Anderson and Star

# 7

Anderson Cooper isn’t interested because his brother committed suicide and this story hits a little too close to home. Maybe this will help him think twice about some of the other stories he chooses in the future as well.

# 8

Very rare for a journalist not to chose sensationalism. Well done.

# 9

Kudos to Anderson and Star. What a novel idea, news people who actually want to report NEWS. Too bad more “journalists” won’t learn from their example. I know it will make me more willing to watch them. I am tired of reporters who rush to report everything and when they don’t have facts they make them up.

What a *****!

When Anna Nicole died it was all over the news, and she is not even an respected actress, she is a hoe!!!

And when Paris Hilton was arrested it was all over the freaking news!!

But when Heath Legder the best actor in the world dies, they dont give a ****!!!!

Best news I heard on this. I give both of them props.

“But when Heath Legder the best actor in the world dies, they dont give a ****!!!!”

Firstly, try reading this article again. Secondly, Heath Ledger was not the best actor in the world, don’t exaggerate. He was a great actor, but that title should go to Daniel Day-Lewis!

Thank you Star and Anderson!

Not that I don’t want to know why he died, I do, but as they said… to report on rumor and speculation hurts his family and doesn’t solve anything. I certainly don’t want to hear rumor or speculation. I want cold hard facts, which are seriously lacking with the media when it comes to Hollywood.

Rip, maybe looking back on the coverage of Anna’s death, they realized how moronic they looked and decided to take a stand…for Heath. That way they don’t turn his life &/or death into a media circus.

yay Anderson @ 01/25/2008 at 9:40 am

I love me some Anderson and I respect him even more.
Star was right with what she said.

GOD BLESS THEM!
finally someone says the right things.

Anderson Cooper is doing the right thing. This must be so hard on the family already. No need to add to their pain with needless speculation and innuendo and outright LIES.

MariaBeckham @ 01/25/2008 at 9:55 am

Thank God there are people who still think the same as me , thank God ANDERSON COOPER AND STAR JONES are alive ..
Why to say things which aren’t certain !!
Why to say things about Heath’s resting body , let us leave hjis family grieving without to disturb them more , they suffered enough!!

I believe in Heath’s tallent , and how a good man e was!

I like what Star Jones and Anderson Cooper said about Heath Ledger’s death. There is not any new information so anything coming out right now would be speculation. Kudos to them both for treating Heath and his family with the respect they deserve in this hard time.

Anderson and Star rock!
It’s time to end this BS speculation and rumour-mongering.

As Star said, Heath was a private man who chose to be private, and he owed/owes us NOTHING but a good performance on-screen that we pay to see.

Let’s see a revolution in reporting. Let’s go back to solid news instead of gossip and hearsay and scum crawling out of the woodwork with so called “stories” to tell or sell. If this can happen, it would be a lovely
legacy for Heath.

RIP Heath– your portrayal of Ennis del Mar made me change my life and never be an Ennis again.

Wisest move at the most difficult time for his family and friends!

bellebeesting @ 01/25/2008 at 10:20 am

Thank you Cooper and thank you Star.

AMEN! thanks andy.

This is the right thing to do and I commend Anderson Cooper and Star Jones for standing up in Heaths honor. It would really be nice to see others follow suit and give the entire Ledger family time to grieve.

Finally some of the media, and a few gossip internet area’s, in the US are showing a true idea of respect, only wish the Perth media did the same. Especially as his sister works in the medium.

No family of hearing of a death of a loved one, on the radio, should then be able to see a body ,half a world away being carried away, with a live feed– totally wrong.

Sometimes the media gets it right, sometimes they should show respect for one person and do it perfect.(report on it, but no need to have a live feed of it) And let him/her RIP and show respect for family and friends.

I say thanks to Anderson for doing the right thing, or as us Aussies would say, On ya Mate.

And yes I am from Perth, Western Australia.

And that’s why I watch Anderson Cooper’s show and he’s so hot. I love this man (whether he can love me back or not! sigh!)

TiredofthisCrap @ 01/25/2008 at 10:40 am

I knew there was a reason why I loved both Star and Anderson. They both have a great sense of compassion. It is bad enough the family found out via media that their son, nephew, father and friend died, let’s not add to their pain with the constant innuendos and rumors.

#27… i have lost faith in the human race thanks to you so well done.
i am sure your mother regrets not getting that abortion everyday of her life. ************.

Oh Star Jones rocks. She also said what most people didn’t want to hear but needed to be said.

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