EDITORIAL: How would you cover bad news?
If you read nothing else in today’s Press, please be sure you connect with columnist Dave Oliveria on the front page of the Lifestyles section.
In his Huckleberries trip down local memory lanes, DFO revisits what happened here on the 100th anniversary of Adolph Hitler’s birthday. Basically, 30 Aryan Nations skinheads succeeded in drawing a protest group 1,000 strong, as well as an army of media from across the nation.
With much more recent events than that 1989 gut-wrenching gathering — including a thwarted disturbance by a group called Patriot Front, reports of racial harassment of the University of Utah women’s basketball team, and the arrest of a young Coeur d’Alene resident accused of plotting to murder churchgoers on April 7 — one of the most challenging questions journalists must answer resurfaces.
How much coverage do we assign to this event and its aftermath?
There are powerful arguments on all sides of that question. For one, when does reporting become recruiting?
From Oliveria’s column: “Giving us all this publicity has turned me and many others” to the white-supremacist movement, taunted a skinhead known as White Man. “You guys are doing wonders and costing me nothing.”
On the flip side: “Any phenomenon that has the potential for evil and violence should not be ignored,” said Bruce Buursma, national correspondent for the Chicago Tribune. “What we’re basically doing is letting people see what goofballs these guys are.”
Another very real consideration is how fair is extensive coverage not just to the size and impact of the event, but to the people of that community? And to local businesses that likely will suffer because of the heavy negative publicity?
There’s no simple answer, particularly in one editorial limited to 450 words. But The Press and most other media strive to report these literally sensational events as accurately as possible, doing their best not to over-dramatize what already is dramatic, being careful not to drop unduly explosive adjectives and adverbs on already volatile sensibilities — but also not turning their backs when reality exposes some of mankind’s baser instincts and activities or shying away under intense heat from vested interests.
Today’s subject was inspired by Oliveria’s column but it goes beyond that. One of the greatest influences in news coverage decisions comes from subscribers.
Generally speaking, customers are best positioned to tell us when they’ve had too much, not enough or just about the right amount of unappetizing news content and the ways in which it’s being presented.
Please take a few moments to read Dave’s column (don’t miss Poet’s Corner). If you’re willing to share your thoughts on this topic, write a letter to the editor: letters@cdapress.com
We can best navigate these rocky shoals together.