After reading the Plog's admonition to KC reporters regarding postings on the 14-year-old girl's Facebook memorial, I thought about two reporters I worked with in other markets. One in Miami and one in Memphis -- each had their own tactics for dealing with the relatives of the recently murdered.
The WSVN reporter's actions were the worst and a manager brought her scheme quickly to an end. Background: Miami in the early 90s was easily one of the most violent cities in the country. At WSVN where I worked on the assignment desk, we ignored many, many homicides. But some, based on unspoken criteria, broke through. Tourists, the famous, children, the wealthy, anything tainted with Santeria; those killings were covered zealously for 24-48 hours. After that, even the murdered children mostly were forgotten.
I recall the WSVN reporter's remarkable ability to get a grieving family to talk on camera about a recently slain loved one and even to provide photos. Finally, I asked her about it. She was very proud of her discovery--if she promised the family the TV station would promote a memorial bank account (shilling for donations), they would almost always agree to an interview. And then, she'd tell them that it would really only work if her interview remained "exclusive."
I don't think she is still working as a journalist anymore, thank God.
The Memphis reporter has moved to a larger market and his methods aren't nearly as despicable. He would, when a family member agreed to talk, start the interview and then, if the person he was talking to began to weep, he would say "Where are those tears coming from?" Which would often mean even more tears and wailing as the person interviewed recalled happier days and times.
After more than thirty years in local news, covering murdered children should be rote by now but it's not. Each murder is different. None of the decisions about coverage are easy.
"What do I know? What do I need to know?" Those two questions always come to my mind (thanks Al Tompkins) when I'm dealing with ethical decision-making...like covering the murder of a beloved daughter, sister, student, friend. Here's the list Bob Steele put together for high school journalism students. It's the same one we "pros" should use.
By the way. Russ Ptacek handled his request for information exactly the right way. Honestly. Above-board. Without pandering. That's the way it should be done.
Back to the list. Did you need to know that before she was killed, Katie Rios, an honor student, was in the band? Did you need to know her friends called her "Smiley?" Did you need to know her principal remembers her as a mentor when she was class president?
You did.
Otherwise, you cannot properly mourn our world's loss of Katie Rios.
