How to Know When You've Gone Too Far

Alexis Bartolomucci
ab395310@ohio.edu

www.theguardian.com

Two of the four stories really captured my attention and those two were "How the Media Treated Me" and "Newton and News Media: Mix of Tension and Gratitude." It shocks me how some journalists will go through extremes, like invading a family's privacy, to get a story. I understand that it's a journalist's job to find stories to report, but there is a certain line that shouldn't be crossed. It is a very thin line. That line is hard to decipher and should definitely be taken into consideration while reporting on a topic.

How Far is Too Far?
As a journalist, you have to know your boundaries and where to stop when looking into a story. There are rules that every journalist should abide by when doing their job. It's completely understandable that one wants to get as much information as possible because that is what is going to make your story more stable, credible, interesting and factual. Every journalist wants a good reputation of reporting well-thought out stories, but no one should go as far to invade someone's personal life if they don't want them to. 

Only a Few Bad Apples
Of course not every journalist is going to invade a person's privacy just to get a good story. Most journalists are very considerate to families and friends when it comes to personal issues if they are reporting a story on the death or injury of a person. You'll get the journalists and reporters here and there that won't have respect, but those are the ones who usually don't get very far in their career. Many journalists and media persons that cross anyone's paths are good people who don't want to cause anyone discomfort.

What's Public and What's Private?
There are several discussions on what is to be considered public and what is considered private. Depending on where a journalist gets their information, it is important for them to decide if they should publish the facts or not. An article by the Columbia Journalism Review indicates that there have been multiple discussions on if something should be published in the news just because it takes place in a public space, like a court house. As a journalist, you should have the training and brain capacity to make a decision on what would be beneficial and what could possibly hurt you in the long run.

It is hard staying out of people's private and personal lives, but it's something every journalist comes across no matter what medium you'll be working in. Some people are more willing to let journalists and reporters come into their lives than others are, and when that happens the journalist should be very grateful to have that opportunity.

If something that happens, like the Sandy Hook shooting, is a huge event that needs to be reported on, but it can cause emotional damage to a family. To publish or not to publish is a huge ethical question. Do they want to get a good story or get hated by the public for intruding on something like a funeral? It's ultimately up to the journalist to decide, and hopefully it turns out to be the right decision.