by Guest » October 27, 2025, 7:49 am
Denny wrote: October 26, 2025, 2:09 pm
I would’ve thought with this being the 50th anniversary of the Fitzgerald sinking, there would be more magazines and articles printed and written about it. Take for instance, National Geographic, Newsweek and Time I had thought anyway would all have something to say about it. Many years ago I have a copy of a National Geographic Magazine that had a very nice article on the Fitzgerald. Sorry folks as I don’t recall exactly when it was other than sometime I think in the 1990s decade maybe? Wishful thinking but, I’d like to see TV stations like History Channel or Discovery or anything like them talk about this being the 50th Anniversary of the sinking. Ok so I admit everyone that I may be asking for too much but, how are ones to ever learn and to understand the tragedy and sinking IF the media doesn’t talk about it then? If I ever had any kids, I would surely tell them about the Fitzgerald then I’d take them to all the Museums and to Whitefish Point so they’d know first and foremost the history and the legend and the legacy of the Big & Mighty Fitz. Just my two cents and thoughts and opinions only here and nothing else!
Unless someone is interested in maritime history, and in particularly anything in relation to Great Lakes shipping, the loss of the Fitzgerald is an extremely regionally based topic of interest. Simply put, outside of the Great Lakes region there is almost no awareness of this shipwreck or even the rich history of shipping on the lakes. As such, national publications such as Newsweek, Time, and National Geographic have really no reason to carry any extensive coverage of a 50th anniversary commemoration of the sinking. Some regional newspapers will undoubtedly carry reports but as you get further away from the Great Lakes region such reports will become harder to find if at all. In fact, I tend to believe that had the internet not come along and grown in popularity in the time since, there would today be even fewer people aware of the Fitzgerald story. When the sinking occurred in 1975, it was a natural that the event would garner national/international attention but by this time, some 50 years later, there is relatively little interest in this story among the general public and thus coverage in this anniversary will be likewise extremely limited.
In addition, with only around 20% of the US population being old enough to have memories stretching back to 1975 the Fitzgerald has passed into becoming just another historical event to most people. As one that is old enough to remember this event, I can attest to the fact that although there was a considerable amount of short-term interest in the sinking outside of those with a special interest in Great Lakes shipping, this did fade rather quickly. It was, however, only after that song came out that this whole episode took on a life of its own.
[quote=Denny post_id=273835 time=1761505785]
I would’ve thought with this being the 50th anniversary of the Fitzgerald sinking, there would be more magazines and articles printed and written about it. Take for instance, National Geographic, Newsweek and Time I had thought anyway would all have something to say about it. Many years ago I have a copy of a National Geographic Magazine that had a very nice article on the Fitzgerald. Sorry folks as I don’t recall exactly when it was other than sometime I think in the 1990s decade maybe? Wishful thinking but, I’d like to see TV stations like History Channel or Discovery or anything like them talk about this being the 50th Anniversary of the sinking. Ok so I admit everyone that I may be asking for too much but, how are ones to ever learn and to understand the tragedy and sinking IF the media doesn’t talk about it then? If I ever had any kids, I would surely tell them about the Fitzgerald then I’d take them to all the Museums and to Whitefish Point so they’d know first and foremost the history and the legend and the legacy of the Big & Mighty Fitz. Just my two cents and thoughts and opinions only here and nothing else!
[/quote]
Unless someone is interested in maritime history, and in particularly anything in relation to Great Lakes shipping, the loss of the Fitzgerald is an extremely regionally based topic of interest. Simply put, outside of the Great Lakes region there is almost no awareness of this shipwreck or even the rich history of shipping on the lakes. As such, national publications such as Newsweek, Time, and National Geographic have really no reason to carry any extensive coverage of a 50th anniversary commemoration of the sinking. Some regional newspapers will undoubtedly carry reports but as you get further away from the Great Lakes region such reports will become harder to find if at all. In fact, I tend to believe that had the internet not come along and grown in popularity in the time since, there would today be even fewer people aware of the Fitzgerald story. When the sinking occurred in 1975, it was a natural that the event would garner national/international attention but by this time, some 50 years later, there is relatively little interest in this story among the general public and thus coverage in this anniversary will be likewise extremely limited.
In addition, with only around 20% of the US population being old enough to have memories stretching back to 1975 the Fitzgerald has passed into becoming just another historical event to most people. As one that is old enough to remember this event, I can attest to the fact that although there was a considerable amount of short-term interest in the sinking outside of those with a special interest in Great Lakes shipping, this did fade rather quickly. It was, however, only after that song came out that this whole episode took on a life of its own.