NEWTOWN, Conn. — The people here are adamant: They do not want a return to their streets of the antenna-topped vans from an international array of news media, and reporters holding microphones to their faces.
So intent is the town on suppressing attention that officials are urging businesses, churches and institutions to not let TV vans use their parking lots. The police will also be on the lookout for any such vans parked along the winding roads outside of town.
The town will not mark the anniversary of the shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School, which occurred on Dec. 14, 2012, with a public remembrance.
Schools or houses of worship may mark the day with speeches or prayers for the 20 first graders and six adults who were killed, but there will be no globally broadcast roll call of names, no playing of bagpipes, no honor guards.
“All of these children, they need a chance to be happy,” said Maria Ruggiero, an employee at the Village Perk Cafe, speaking of the town’s children. “This constant reminder of sadness, it needs to stop. That’s why we want the media to stay away.”
Normally, the first anniversary of such a tragedy would draw hordes of journalists, as happened with the mass killings at Aurora, Colo., and Virginia Tech. And each year since the terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001, there has been extensive, live coverage by the news media as the names of the dead are read at a solemn ceremony in downtown Manhattan.
But at least two TV networks — NBC and ABC — say they have no plans to dispatch fully equipped crews through Newtown that day. One TV executive said that parents had urged his network to stay away because children were still suffering from anxiety, and the sight of TV vans triggered reminders of the shootings.
“NBC News is respecting the town’s wishes and our broadcasts have no plans to be in Newtown for the anniversary,” said Erika Masonhall, a spokeswoman for the network.
CBS News plans to be there, though it has already been turned down for some spots to park trucks.
“Our goal is to have the smallest footprint possible,” said Tim Gaughan, director of special events for CBS News. “We don’t want to be intrusive, but we’re confident we can report the story and not get in the way.”
Beyond the desire for keeping their grief private, the town’s business owners are concerned about their economic well-being. Last December, media vehicles clogged streets, making it difficult to get to shops during the important Christmas season.
“Even the places you could get to, you didn’t want to because you’d have a microphone or TV camera in your face,” said Jim Morely, a board member of Newtown Savings Bank.
Patricia Llodra, Newtown’s first selectman, equivalent to a mayor, said she had unanimous support for lowering the day’s temperature. In a town of 28,000 people, she said, almost everybody is regularly reminded of the lost children and teachers by the faces and places they see.
“The difference with 9/11 is that it happened in a city of millions of people,” said Ms. Llodra, who was at the firehouse when parents were told one by one that their children had been killed. “It is possible to have a life in New York without continual reminders — for us, we live this tragedy every day.” “We need our own time to heal,” she said. “We’re in this journey of recovery, 28,000 of us.”
The town could not help but be reminded last month when the Connecticut state’s attorney in Danbury released a 48-page report that chronicled the rampage by the gunman, Adam Lanza, and painted a disturbing portrait of his obsession with guns and mass shootings, and his willful isolation, even from his parents. Then, on Wednesday, recordings of the calls to 911 from inside the school were released.
The townspeople say they do not want to be forever defined by tragedy.
“We’re not victims,” Ms. Llodra said. “We don’t see ourselves as broken and we want to be able to have a positive future.”
The town has demolished one likely media focus, the school, where Mr. Lanza, 20, shot his way through a locked door, opened fire on the principal, staff members and two classrooms of first graders before shooting himself with a handgun. The town made it virtually impossible to take mementos from the building’s remains — it had the structural steel melted — or to photograph it close up. The news media had to fly in helicopters overhead as the school was razed.
So intent is the town on suppressing attention that officials are urging businesses, churches and institutions to not let TV vans use their parking lots. The police will also be on the lookout for any such vans parked along the winding roads outside of town.
The town will not mark the anniversary of the shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School, which occurred on Dec. 14, 2012, with a public remembrance.
Schools or houses of worship may mark the day with speeches or prayers for the 20 first graders and six adults who were killed, but there will be no globally broadcast roll call of names, no playing of bagpipes, no honor guards.
“All of these children, they need a chance to be happy,” said Maria Ruggiero, an employee at the Village Perk Cafe, speaking of the town’s children. “This constant reminder of sadness, it needs to stop. That’s why we want the media to stay away.”
Normally, the first anniversary of such a tragedy would draw hordes of journalists, as happened with the mass killings at Aurora, Colo., and Virginia Tech. And each year since the terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001, there has been extensive, live coverage by the news media as the names of the dead are read at a solemn ceremony in downtown Manhattan.
But at least two TV networks — NBC and ABC — say they have no plans to dispatch fully equipped crews through Newtown that day. One TV executive said that parents had urged his network to stay away because children were still suffering from anxiety, and the sight of TV vans triggered reminders of the shootings.
“NBC News is respecting the town’s wishes and our broadcasts have no plans to be in Newtown for the anniversary,” said Erika Masonhall, a spokeswoman for the network.
CBS News plans to be there, though it has already been turned down for some spots to park trucks.
“Our goal is to have the smallest footprint possible,” said Tim Gaughan, director of special events for CBS News. “We don’t want to be intrusive, but we’re confident we can report the story and not get in the way.”
Beyond the desire for keeping their grief private, the town’s business owners are concerned about their economic well-being. Last December, media vehicles clogged streets, making it difficult to get to shops during the important Christmas season.
“Even the places you could get to, you didn’t want to because you’d have a microphone or TV camera in your face,” said Jim Morely, a board member of Newtown Savings Bank.
Patricia Llodra, Newtown’s first selectman, equivalent to a mayor, said she had unanimous support for lowering the day’s temperature. In a town of 28,000 people, she said, almost everybody is regularly reminded of the lost children and teachers by the faces and places they see.
“The difference with 9/11 is that it happened in a city of millions of people,” said Ms. Llodra, who was at the firehouse when parents were told one by one that their children had been killed. “It is possible to have a life in New York without continual reminders — for us, we live this tragedy every day.” “We need our own time to heal,” she said. “We’re in this journey of recovery, 28,000 of us.”
The town could not help but be reminded last month when the Connecticut state’s attorney in Danbury released a 48-page report that chronicled the rampage by the gunman, Adam Lanza, and painted a disturbing portrait of his obsession with guns and mass shootings, and his willful isolation, even from his parents. Then, on Wednesday, recordings of the calls to 911 from inside the school were released.
The townspeople say they do not want to be forever defined by tragedy.
“We’re not victims,” Ms. Llodra said. “We don’t see ourselves as broken and we want to be able to have a positive future.”
The town has demolished one likely media focus, the school, where Mr. Lanza, 20, shot his way through a locked door, opened fire on the principal, staff members and two classrooms of first graders before shooting himself with a handgun. The town made it virtually impossible to take mementos from the building’s remains — it had the structural steel melted — or to photograph it close up. The news media had to fly in helicopters overhead as the school was razed.
