In a show of patriotism, the American flag appeared on the NBC television screen in Times Square after September 11. ABCNews VideoSource

I think the third reason for the increased appreciation that Americans came to have of the media was that they experienced a completely different side of the press. Whether celebrity figures, anchors, well-known correspondents, or the foot soldiers of the fourth estate, the press showed a more human side of themselves to the public. They were less aggressive. They showed that they too were very much affected by the news they were reporting. I think their increased show of humanity helped to create an atmosphere of "we are all in this together." The media and the news consumer were no longer on opposite sides.

People also felt that the media showed an element of patriotism that had previously been absent. Both within and outside the media there were some discussions about whether it was appropriate to show patriotism—whether reporters and anchors should wear flag pins, and whether networks should show the flag on the screen. In some cases these discussions led to controversies. A few media organizations wrote memos to their personnel advising that they not display the flag in any form. Some advertisers reacted to that decision in a negative way. However, I think such controversies remained a small sub-story and never really spoiled the newfound togetherness that people felt with media figures.