A main concern that people have with journalists and the media today is that they seem to have no boundaries are far as reporting fatalities and tragic incidents. A journalist’s job is to report the news and keep the public aware of what is happening in the world around them. However, the question of how much is too much comes in to play.
Respecting boundaries
It seems that when large tragedies emerge in our world the media has a play-by-play update with every minuet detail of the case. In some cases these details are important to keep the public safe. There are other cases where the constant updates are harming those who were affected.
In a 1994 Yale University stabbing, a man named Bruce Shapiro was seriously injured. He was able to say no to all of the media attention without trouble. But one day while watching the news he saw his bloody body laying on a gurney out of context to his incident. This use of footage without permission and out of place brought back all of the memories of that awful incident.
It is always necessary for permission
When finding out news of tragedies such as 9/11, Boston Marathon Bombing, school shootings and more, the audience is always curious how the victims are in these situations and if the criminal is caught. When releasing photos of victims it is important to ask permission because they may never want those graphic and emotional pictures released.
CBS New York has an entire slide show of media from the Boston Marathon Bombing. Many of the photos have captions stating “a police officer”, “a runner”, “a crowd”, no specific names because one would assume those pictures were aired without permission. The photos with background of the people would most likely have given permission.
Give space
Many families and victims need room to morn after a tragedy. People complain about the press and media standing outside their doors for hours on end, calling and badgering them for interviews. Families share stories of how incessant the media is how they feel violated and betrayed. “We had a guy crawling under a bus with a TV camera trying to get a picture of [my wife] because she was crying,” he says. “We were going through a grief period, which should be private, and the media interfered with this process” said Donald Nibert who’s daughter was killed in a TWA flight crash in 1996 (via How the media treated me).
According to the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics there is an entire section dedicated to minimizing harm. Two codes that stick out and should always be considered are:
- "Balance the public's need for information against potential harm or discomfort. Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance or undue intrusiveness."
- "Show compassion for those who may be affected by news coverage. Use heightened sensitivity when dealing with juveniles, victims of sex crimes, and sources or subjects who are inexperienced or unable to give consent. Consider cultural differences in approach and treatment."
Flannery Chapman
fc362911@ohio.edu
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