So we keep hearing from people insisting that we, the press, MUST tell them why a local man, somewhat prominent, died.
We have heard, UNofficially, that It was suicide. Whatever the cause, unless we were to get a police release on the matter, we wouldn’t report it – and quite possibly, even if we did get official word, we still wouldn’t.
We as a rule don’t report suicides, unless they are of an elected official, someone very prominent, or happen in a very public place or fashion (such as triggering a widespread search, etc.)
Some understand totally. Others are frustrated that we don’t report every tragic private thing that happens, even if it would pain a family grievously to no positive purpose. Will we try to find a way to tackle the topic of suicide, or of depression (easier), in these tough times? Yes. But not by dragging anyone in pain into the spotlight. Some believe that’s they “have a right” to know everything and anything, and we have a “duty” to tell them. Bull.
It’s like the ones who whine – yes, I use that word purposely – and call our deletion of their comments on the Website – the ones with unsubstantiated criminal allegations, unfounded rumors or foul language – “censorship,” and a denial of their “free speech” rights.
Double-bull. There are SO many places on the Web – craigslist rants and raves, for one – where anyone can say anything, under cloak of anonymity, to get their jollies. Go there. Please. Let us try to have a civil conversation about issues that matter, not flames and “you’re stupid!” and 5th-grade temper tantrums.
Please.
Oh, and about suicide – one of the few “Leave it to Barney” pieces I’ve written and been unable to do happened to include this fact – my mother jumped off a building and killed herself when I was 9 years old. (I seem to recall I was doing the piece after a story that cited statistics to show there are FAR more suicides than homicides in Oregon, and yet, we hear little about them, because … it is the ultimate taboo.)
Over years of online and face-to-face chats, I know that my revelation about my mother is the ultimate conversation stopper, because suicide is THE ultimate taboo. Better to talk of evil child abuse than suicide – who to get angry at? The loved one, colleague, etc. is gone, usually leaving only pain and “why?”s behind.
My usual pick-me-up after dropping that bomb is to say, “So I could be a LOT more screwed up than I am.” The laughter dissolves the awkward silence, and life goes on.
Other things that don’t fit into the little LITB on-air segment include the fact that, when I and my two older brothers moved to New Orleans from Philadelphia, after our mother’s suicide, to live with our dad and stepmother, she had to go to a notary public and swear out an affidavit that we were white.
Remember, this was 1965, in Louisana, no doubt going through the desegregation roiling tide. But still… we were, and are, about as “white” as they come. Not so long ago, either.
So please, come read our news articles, and then post comments with interesting points about the important issues they raise and your views about them. Help us drown out the noise with some strong signals. I’d appreciate it, and I think we’ll all be better for it. Otherwise, this experiment just may end one day.
Thanks.
Leave it to Barney 
You’re going to have to excuse “the people” for wondering why local media continues to whitewash (or bury) any and all stories that might in any way threaten to tarnish the real estate industry.
I don’t care if this person was a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker – the issues of covering suicide are the same.
I also am not thrilled when people assume the media chooses what to cover or not cover based on whether it “threatens to tarnish” an industry.
I know all the Vast Conspiracy Theories out there, and from where I sit, most come from points of extreme prejudice, or lack of knowledge of how something like the media really works. It’s like those who scream that of COURSE the media is right-biased, and an equally loud voice say we’re “in the tank” for left wing. Media is like government – we can’t win, and can’t afford to worry about making everybody happy. We know we’re doing the best we can, day by day, and that the vast majority are OK with that, and we can’t let the shouts from the extremes color our view of the value of what we do.
I appreciate your comments about suicide. I am so sorry for your loss. You are right about the stigma attached to the word suicide, let alone the actual act. I lost my 26 year old son November 27, 2007 and everything in my life has been a blur. I am trying to get my footing, although it is difficult. I plan to start a non-profit ni hope that I can reach only one person and help them make a better choice to a temporary problem. I get as frustratied with the media as anyone else, but in this particular area I appreciate the protection.
Barney — by being a member of the press, with a public blog that displays your name and picture, you just reported it. A blog is a public record. Any local who reads bendblogs or reads a blog that is linked to yours or a public website that is linked to yours has now read that the poor drs death is indeed suicide. While you are expressing your opinion regarding the protection of the people from teh press pushing past the point of decency, let me take a moment and remind you that KTVZ does care about social status when it comes to making a circus of tragedy. Robin Hutchings. That was a freak show circus that deeply embarassed the rest of the family — because the local TV station thought nothing of putting a mentally ill woman on TV. Of doing interviews with a family spirally out of control. Of a family who bears a great deal of responsibility and culpability for the death of their daughter — and the TV station was right there start to finish putting a spot light on all of it. What a load of hypocritcal bs. The Dr was wealthy and made bad choices and his result was dire. The Hutchings were poor and made bad choices and the result for Nikki was dire. Explain again how the station respects tragedy — because whether it was suicide or murder if you drag the families pain into the open you’re ghoulish monsters. Period.
Guess what Cuppa? You just assumed something and I can only tell you you are wrong in assuming who i was referring to.
As for Hutchings – I just told someone in comments that news judgment is just that JUDGMENT – day by day, under different supervisors, different decisions are made. We constantly wrestle with what is fair to report and what is not. And others are very free to disagree – privately OR publicly.
We didn’t make Mrs. Hutchings talk to us, or the family members who did. If they told us no, that would hvae been it. That htey embarrassed others in the family by doing so – the girl was missing, and murdered, and of course we turned to anyone willing to tell us what was behind the tragic facts.
The extremes are so obvious – we’ve had people post comments arguing that we shouldn’t report on allegations against someone until they are tried and convicted. And you apparently are saying we should never attempt to talk to a missing person’s family, or if we do, we shouldn’t use the material unless they’re – what, not poor, have a mental checkup?
Do I always win the vigorous debates about what to cover, what not to cover and how? No. But we have them. Police put out releases all the time that name victims. Deciding whether we should is a judgment call.
Sorry if I’m being overly defensive – I know I’m not going to change your mind about us being “ghoulish monsters.” Presume you feel the same about a lot of media, Dateline NBC etc. because we’re in a very large boat. But I have this flaw – I care what people think, and know we’re not the monsters you consider us to be. But you have a right to your opinion, that’s for sure. Just hope we could debate such things without insults and name-calling, but … again, you’re entitled to your opinion.
Gina,
So sorry for your loss.
Do read cuppa’s comment, and my defensive reply, and cast it in the light of suicide.
People don’t care about issues, they care about PEOPLE, and that’s why we strive to put a human face on such issues.
We don’t “drag” people into the spotlight, but we do give them the opportunity. But when it comes to suicide, nobody would dare want to appear on camera to relate their pain. And no doubt if they DID, and no matter how sensitively we did the story, I’m sure we’d come under fire from some quarters about “exploiting” them,
So we’re either “exploiting,” or we’re “whitewashing or covering up.”
Some times ya just can’t win;-/ But that’s never been just media’s problem – as I say, look at government – either they are wasting money or they are ignoring problems, in many’s view. They have just as big a no-win situation – adding in that many people think all politicians are crooks, etc.
Anyway, again, thanks for posting, and if we can help you give your new group some WANTED exposure, let us know;-)
PS. to Cuppa – hmm, I just read your note one more time and want to plant another thought seed you can respond to, dismiss – it’s your choice.
Yes, no doubt our coverage or non-coverage of some items relate to social status. But I’d argue it’s NOT because we try to “protect the rich and exploit the poor,” as you inferred.
I’d argue that the rich put up more walls and deal with their problems in a more private nature, to protect their OWN reputation, and no media outlet is going to easily go through those walls. The less well-off, on the other hand, often turn to the media to ASK for our help because they have fewer places to turn to for that help.
We could tell them “no, because we must be EQUAL in our treatment, and since the rich folk up the hill won’t talk, we can’t talk to you either.” Now isn’t that an artificial demarcation, a nice way to tell people in need to go away?
Just another though. Fire at will. But please, on the ISSUE?
I watched KTVZ’s coverage of the entire 2 years — it was exploitive. There is no other word for it. There is decorum, there are ways to help without being invasive or disrespectful of the family. I submit that the reporters were all to happy to talk to the Hutchings and didn’t ask themselves what info was appropriate to use. It was an overly exposed story — the name, image, contact info for the police is plenty, everything else is exploitational. Do I paint NBC’s Dateline with the same tar brush — yes. Any news program that has to expose another person’s pain and anguish for profit is indeed, in my opinion, contemptable. Isn’t it interesting that you tell me it bugs you that I would be outraged and comment on it in a negative and name calling fashion — darn tootin I would, it affected me personally. Turn about is fair play goes the saying, so while you didnt’ personally make the decision to go with tabloid invasive reporting, you continue to work for the people who did, and by association are now coloured with that experience in a negative light by myself and others who did not appreciate the exposure of the family. The poor may benefit from such exposure — I can’t validate or invalidate that argument — I have no numbers to compare to see what if any positive impact it might have, but I do understand that for the station it’s all about viewership and money. I stopped watching KTVZ entirely because of the stations handling of the events — I still read the website — but have come to learn that the same press releases are available at KBND — without the negative.
As to the suicide — well then there were two, and I was thinking of the more recent not the previous one. Same cause, same result. If you’ve lived in this town long enough, you already knew why and how and what — but Duncan brings up a good point. The sky is falling — and while we don’t have an empire state building for those stung by bad investments to jump from, we do have a river — and it’s just as public.
Human interest stories aren’t very interesting — they’re train wrecks that many can’t help but stop and watch. Just the facts is sometime much more telling — and compelling — than emotional displays.
My spouse just reminded me — KTVZ has a history with Robin and Nikki — did anyone dig out the story where Robin called the station over Nikki’s supposed heroism in saving her 3 yr old brothers life from choking to death on a hot dog? Or the night they showed her Tae Kwon Do class? Jerry Springer and the false claims of incest . . . didnt’ dig that one up, did they? They are media hungry. That’s a given. We have to live with that — you don’t. It simply offends me how easily and in such a bottom feeding blood sucking way reporters jump on it. *sigh* I’m not provoking a debate, truly, I’m writing a letter to the editor. I know the news stations point of view. I’ve heard it before. I’m wailing at the wall of the first ammendment that jounalism hides behind. I’ve heard the ‘take the good with the bad’ argument for years. KTVZ is just bad — my opinion — and hasn’t given me a reason to think otherwise.
Fine, Cuppa, you’re entitled to your opinion, and to use this forum to explain it at length, with no editing or muzzling by Yours Truly.
I work for a media organization, and don’t claim it’s perfect – tehr eisn’t one. It’s your right to turn the dial, but please, spare me the “it’s all about viewership and money.” Are we supposed to be a philanthropic organiztaion? Yes, to the FCC, we have to show public service, etc. Other than that, yes, we’re a business, and they only survive if they make money. Why should we be ashamed of that?
Now, to claim we cover stories to derive maximum viewership and thus, maximum potential profit – I’d argue otherwise, and we’d have to nitpick over the specifics to get to the root of it – and probably not change each other’s minds.
But “human interest stories aren’t very interesting”? That’s your opinion, and one not shared by many. Broadcasting by its very nature has to appeal to the broadest possible range of audience – and we won’t please everyone with what we report and how.
As for the past history with the Hutchings, in Nielsen market 192, reporters and producers etc. come and go on 2-3 year intervals, so unless you believe they pass on a “here’s how to handle X or Y stories,” it’s the way each individual reporter (and producer, news director) encounter a set of facts and decide to handle them that day, week or month. Yes, I’d heard the Jerry Springer stuff – so I guess you’d have had us drop the story, when we’d have heard from others, I’m sure, incensed and asking what’s new in the case, etc.
At least toward the end you seemed to indicate its NOT just KTVZ – you clearly have issues with media, maybe just broadcast media, I don’t know. Sometimes we “let the stories tell themselves,” and I have no doubt friends and family members object to us airing their points of view, saying we took advantage of them.
We’re not People magazine, paying $300K for Thomas Beaties’ story and family photos. (Though we do air Oprah – that was her highest rated show, and boy, the grief we got for giving that any attention!) I personally don’t “hide behind the wall of the first amendment.” I stand on it, as it shakes and rumbles, and pray I don’t get knocked down into the seething mass of humanity on either side, pitchforks and torches in hand, ready to blame the messenger for society’s ills or take us to task from opposite directions.
It’s like I said in a piece a few months back – there are people who love everything you do, those who hate everything you do, and the vast majority who don’t care all that much either way. Call it a rationalization if you will, but it’s one aimed at keeping me sane and knowing in my heart that we do more good than harm, that we get most things right on our best days, but are imperfectly human. To ascribe evil or reckless motives to our day-to-day coverage of news here is sad, but again, it is your right, and I’m glad to engage in the dialogue.
PS – To be full-disclosure honest, I just changed the lead of this entry, softened it a bit, because I realized I could make the very same point without what could be seen by some as titillation – claiming someone local committed suicide but I won’t say who. That’s wrong, too, and I appreciate cuppa’s dialogue for making me rethink it.
I could go back and revisit dozens of news decisions every week, but I guarantee, we still wouldn’t please everyone, even if that were possible. And besides, the more time you spend looking in the rear view mirror, the greater the odds of running over something in front of you. Or something like that;-/
Your blog is interesting!
Keep up the good work!
Thanks, Alex! I don’t ‘feed’ it as often as I’d like, but I have so many online and on-air ‘mouths to feed,’ something’s gotta give at times. Feel free to suggest topics to discuss, questions to answer. etc.
Barney, to have a mother that committed suicide is not only painful but feels abandoned.
A mother has to be in tremendous despair to do it, a marriage of many years destroyed by a new wife, how to support her children..my heart goes to your loss and your poor mother.
Now more is spoken about the risk when people feel desperate.
Thank you. I believe I’ve been blessed to rise above the troubles and heartache of my younger years.