Media Coverage in Violent Cases

 Morgan Podkul

mp017819@ohio.edu

Media outlets wield significant power when covering stories about violent crime. These journalists have the power to pick and choose the angle from which the story is told. Victims can be "misunderstood" as criminals. Jessica McBride writes for the Badger Institute, saying, "The media's coverage of crime ... can drive public policy decisions and influence public opinion toward them." There is a fine line between detailed reporting and including too much. Journalists are in charge of determining where that line is and how to write their stories based on policy. 

Journalists must respect their company's policy on violent crime. Without doing so, a story with too many details can lead to more harm than good for victims or victims' families. Xanthe Mallett wrote an article highlighting these points in the recent case of Gabby Petito's murder. The article states, "This was a young woman's life, and death, which has now become media fodder, ... The media benefit, as it provides high traffic content for the 24-hour news cycle, and clickbait for online stories." In this 2021 violent crime case where Gabby Petitio, a young white woman, was murdered by her fiance, Brian Laundrie, media, and social media have taken this tragic crime and created a media spectacle. Mallett's point in the article is that using "popular" violent crimes to gain attention as a media outlet is hurtful and offensive to the victim and their family.  

Photo from https://undark.org/2018/03/08/media-coverage-of-mass-shootings-misses-the-mark-for-decades/

Media coverage in cases of mass shootings can have detrimental effects. Sensationalized stories alter public opinion, as has been stated in this post. However, people in positions of power are included in the public. These viewers are influenced by media coverage and make policies based on opinion and recent events. Robin Lloyd writes for Undark, co-writer Jason Silva says, "Biased or sensational coverage of mass shootings could provoke panicked and misplaced public responses to these incidents, including unnecessary, excessive, or ineffective policies and legislation." 

If media outlets report on violent crimes such as mass shootings and the public views the suspect as "troubled" or "misunderstood," good policies may not be implemented. In contrast, a story that defines a subject by their mental illness, race, ethnicity, etc., may lead to the wrong policies being created that oppress people who identify with these traits. 

Stories on violent crimes such as homicide and mass shootings should be handled with care. Information needs to be withheld, disclosed respectfully, or included in the original story when necessary and depending on the policy of individual news outlets. Releasing a story on violent crime should serve its purpose to inform the public so that victims, victims' families, and all involved are given the necessary respect and privacy that they deserve or ask for. Not respecting these guidelines further perpetuates harm to those involved in these public tragedies.