Assessing the newsworthiness of a story has always been a tough debate, and in today’s Internet-saturated world, the lines are becoming increasingly blurred. There is always more than one way to tell a story, and oftentimes the audience dictates appropriateness. In light of recent tragedies and controversies in the media, this week’s wrap will analyze how TV, print and Internet outlets choose to tell a story based on the audiences they are trying to reach.
According to a recent story shared by the Associated Press, this week’s attacks on Virginia journalists Allison Parker and Adam Ward created difficult decisions for outlets looking to cover the news. As footage directly from the shooter began to surface on social media, many organizations questioned how much or how little should be used. Due to the graphic nature of the video, questions of newsworthiness and taste led many outlets to share varied accounts of the murders.
TV stations like CBS showed part of the gunman’s footage, but then cut just before the first shot was fired. A New York Times article claims The Daily News and The New York Post both ran stills from the killer’s video that sparked criticism from readers who felt the images “sensationalized the murders.” But even more controversy circulated after many news sites shared the full video online.
Recent controversy surrounding the Owen Labrie rape trial has inspired several stories in the news this week. But the tender age of both the victim and the defendant has caused some debate among news outlets: how much is too much? Throughout the trial, the victim and her family asked for privacy from the media. When covering the case, some TV outlets showed clips from the girl’s testimony, blurring the victim’s face and disguising her voice. Internet sites went deeper, sharing private messages from the victim’s phone that were shared as evidence during the trial.
When evaluating newsworthiness, today’s news organizations are faced with a host of issues. Competition from similar outlets leaves many journalists questioning what the public needs to know vs. what they want to share. As the digital age continues to forge ahead, news professionals will need to evaluate their audiences even deeper to ensure the proper messages are conveyed.
What are your thoughts on these stories presented above? Give us a shout in the comments below.
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Erin O’Connor is an account executive at WordWrite Communications. She can be reached at erin.oconnor@wordwritepr.com or on Twitter, @eoc790
