The media outlets don’t want to show the beheading video.

“It’s a pretty clear call for us,” said Jon Banner, executive producer of ABC’s “World News Tonight.” “I think the viewer will understand what happened to Mr. Berg. They won’t have to sit through the graphic images.”

Yup, just as they don’t have to sit through the graphic images of people plunging from the towers. Apparently they only show (and reshow) graphic images when it’s of American “atrocities.”

Note that I’m not necessarily complaining that they’re not showing the video. But some of those same media outlets should be asking themselves to what degree showing all of the Abu Ghraib photos may have resulted in this, and why they considered that necessary. After all, couldn’t the viewers have understood what went on in the prison without the graphic images?

And since we’ve been told that even worse photos are coming in the days ahead, perhaps they’ll give the matter a little more consideration before airing them?

[Wednesday morning update]

Ratherbiased.com has similar questions for CBS and Dan Rather.