CBS defends showing crying children on NCAA tournament broadcasts

Crowd shots have become a staple of NCAA tournament coverage over the years, with cameras catching fans in both moments of glory and agony.

The coverage by CBS and TNT this year has come under scrutiny over the airing of distraught children who are upset over their team's loss. Here is one of the clips fans are referencing, showing a disappointed Cincinnati fan after his team blew a 22-point lead:

CBS executive producer Harold Bryant offered an explanation for the decision to air the footage in an interview with Henry Bushnell of Yahoo Sports.

"It's part of the drama and the storytelling of the tournament," Bryant said. "It's part of the emotion. We try to capture the emotion and we try to strike that right balance."

With such an exciting start to the tournament, there have been plenty of dramatic moments. Last-second finishes have led to incredible reactions, and Bryant stressed that it isn't just children the production is focusing on.

"We show happy kids, we show sad kids, we show happy adults, we show players that are happy, we show players that are sad, crying on the benches or on the floor."