Tragic events will always seem to take a toll on the ordinary person, directly or indirectly. Events like the 1963 Kennedy assassination or the September 11 terrorist attack demonstrate moments when people may have captured the horrific action. These developments are usually spread by word of mouth or, in the now modern version, through the media. This may include newspaper/magazine articles, radio programs, television news, etc. Media coverage during a tragic event can affect people very negatively or positively on a national level, depending on the issue at hand. It has also opened the eyes of nations around the world. With national tragedies, there is no telling what the benefits of media communication could be and/or become. The negative effects of media coverage have proven to be quite incredible, especially after events such as the Kennedy assassination. According to recent statistics from 2001, 24% of Americans had heard about the assassination through television, 23% had heard it from the radio, 13% from telephone calls, 36% from personal contact, and 4% from other unknown sources (America Rebounds). These statistics were the great beginning of the end of media coverage during national tragedies. For example, in the poem "The Assassination of John F. Kennedy" and "Instead of an Elegy", they express the depressing, yet solemn tone and mood of the writer and readers. “I hear things crying in the world”/ “A dark nightmare convention” (The assassination of John F. Kennedy), “The old men gather to honor him”/ “The drums beat darkly” (Instead of an elegy). Through these writings, pain and resentment can be expressed to create a moment of pure emphasis on such an event. Additionally, broadcasters will begin featuring...... half of the paper ......ws and Media, September 5, 2011. Web. April 18, 2014. .McNeill, Jena Baker, and Matt A. Mayer. “Ten Years After 9/11: Thinking Smarter About National Security.” The Heritage Foundation. NP, May 23, 2011. Web. April 18, 2014. ."November 22, 1963: Death of the President." - John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Np, nd Web. March 26, 2014. “The Shot Went Around the World – Reactions to the JFK Assassination.” Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. Np, nd Web. April 15. 2014. .