Privacy and restraint
On Tuesday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch published an excellent editorial entitled "A Time to Heal" in which it pleaded with the media to give some privacy to the families of the two kidnapped boys who have recently been found in Kirkwood.
Every day since then, it has published front-page stories with huge glowering photos of the accused kidnapper and more details about the lives of the boys in captivity.
Just goes to show that being the voice of restraint isn't easy when faced with overwhelming public curiosity and intense competition from other media, both local and national.
Every day since then, it has published front-page stories with huge glowering photos of the accused kidnapper and more details about the lives of the boys in captivity.
Just goes to show that being the voice of restraint isn't easy when faced with overwhelming public curiosity and intense competition from other media, both local and national.
posted by Allthenewsthatfits at 1:51 PM
2 Comments:
Your last paragraph hit it on the head. The media is a product of demand. Doesn't make it wrong or right, but coverage decisions are made easier. If you really think I want to spend all day inside the Hancock County Courthouse watching a motion hearing for a person accused of murder, and not a very nice person either (www.dirkhartband.blogspot.com for more info), well, I have much better things I could be doing.
The smaller the paper, the more leeway you have, but your post rings true with every media outlet.
And not just in newspapers.
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