Landing problems, car accidents, other local tragedies: Why national news?

[Wordie]

What is with the recent fascination and hours-long play-by-plays on the cable stations with these things. My understanding for instance, is that emergency landings (for landing gear problems, etc.) are not uncommon and usually resolved without much problem or injury. Why has this become national news?

We start to get some coverage on the spy story, and BAM, cut to the story of a plane circling for three hours and then landing safely. It wouldm't bother me (ok, it really would still bother me), if there wasn't other crucially important things going on.

Daryn Kagan just joked "We're turning into the Aviation Channel; we're going to show every plane taking off and landing in St. Louis..." She got that just about right! Kathleen Koch now confirming that these sorts of situations are fairly regular occurances.

WHY?