Discussion 1 and 2 Response to Classmates

FridayJan 12 at 5:36pm

Manage Discussion Entry

Eric,

National outlets are one thing. Then there are community newspapers to consider. They must constantly struggle to find the line between being accurate reporters of ugly events and becoming a booster for business interest. They risk being damned by critics on both sides. While an ability to withstand criticism is an essential requirement for anyone entering the field of journalism, editors and reporters of community newspapers in particular should seek questions and critiques from their readers as well as their professional peers.

I understand what was meant by that but when it comes to reporting a crime, especially a murder in the community, the community needs to know about it. I believe in order to present sensitive issues, the reporter and editor, have to put themselves in the place of the readers and question themselves about what they would take from the report if it was someone else writing it and they were the person on the other end reading it and that would be the only way of presenting it without re-victimizing the victims and/or family and friends of the victims.

But this also applies to natural disasters because there are plenty of victims involved as well. Perhaps even more care needs to be taken by journalists when it comes to reporting this kinds of events.

Just a thought. Thanks for yours!

Reference

Cote’, W. & Bucqueroux, B. (1996). Covering crime re-victimizing the victim. Victims and the Media Program. http://victims.jrn.msu.edu/public/articles/nashvill.html