School Shootings: Why the Perpetrator Should not Receive Coverage

 Alex Semancik

as477018@ohio.edu

In recent years, the increase in mass shootings, especially school shootings in the United States is one of the most terrifying trends in media coverage. The shootings themselves are obviously a traumatic and shocking event for the local community in which they occur, however, if they are not covered, correctly, concisely, and accurately by journalists more damage to that local community and our society as a whole is likely to occur. According to a PDF from reportingmassshootings.org, "the manner in which the media report on mass shootings can contribute to contagion (copycat) behavior." This may seem like daunting responsibility for a journalist, however, anyone in a media field can utilize some basic practices to minimize harm to the public when covering a school shooting and still produce a newsworthy story. 

The first thing a journalist should be aware of when covering a school shooting is the perpetrator of the incident. The perpetrator should be mentioned as little as possible. Sensationalizing or reporting too in-depth on anything relating to the shooter could potentially inspire copycat crimes and most certainly would traumatize the victims and anyone else affected by a shooting. "As long as the media continue to focus their news stories on the attacker, it is likely that these copycats will continue," according to an article from the National Center for Health Research. Topics like the shooter's mental health or motives should also be avoided unless they truly add more to the story. Even if they are discussed they should be discussed delicately.

Photo courtesy of undark.com

Rather than focus on the perpetrator, the goal of a reporter should be to educate the community on how to deal with and hopefully prevent school shootings. In the tragic Parkland shooting, the perpetrator's name was mentioned far more than Aaron Feis'. Feis was a coach in Parkland at the time that saved several students' lives, according to the National Center for Health Research. Reporters should take note of that example and attempt to tell a story of bravery and heroism amidst a tragedy rather than giving a school shooter a platform to receive the notoriety they crave.

School shootings are no doubt a tragic phenomenon and an unfortunate trend in our modern and evolving society in the United States. To hopefully diminish the increase in school shootings journalists should adhere to specific guidelines to both minimize harm to the public as well as inform and educate them.