The national news media’s coverage of crime exploits the details of people’s personal lives and trauma for monetary gain and increased ratings. Networks like CNN, CBS News and Fox News monopolize on high-profile criminal cases by reporting the crime as if it were a soap opera. Coverage often extends beyond the facts of the case and into the details of victim’s personal lives with little consideration for the victim.
The news media should refrain from using overreaching and biased reporting and stick to reporting case facts that are necessary and newsworthy. Such in-depth coverage of crime victims’ personal lives creates an unquenchable desire in the American public for crime reporting that pushes the barrier of what is acceptable to broadcast nationally. The details of crime victims’ intimate lives should not be fair game to the public simply because there is demand for it.
News coverage broadcasts the most obscene details of criminal cases and their victims to increase ratings and buzz surrounding the case. Often, so-called experts are brought in to dissect the victim’s life and speculate about the verdict head-to-head. The sports-like coverage increases public bias and hinders the judicial process. “Innocent until proven guilty becomes guilty in the media until proven innocent in a court of law,” said Ami Peterson, a reporter for The Olympian.
The victim’s wishes are often ignored in favor of satisfying the public. According to the International Documentary Association, footage of Barbara Rockwell and her slain grandson were broadcast on L.A. Detectives in 1999 without the family’s consent. Rockwell had not seen her grandson’s bloodied corpse at the scene but was subjected to the footage on television months later, causing her to file a lawsuit. No victim or family member should have to see such graphic footage of their loved one without consent, especially not on national television for millions to view.
Victims of high-profile cases are forced to relive their trauma repeatedly as their face and story are plastered across the news for months and years. To be fair, some victims feel empowered by bringing publicity to their injustice and gaining control of their situation through awareness. However, many feel violated and used for their monetary value, especially when they are not consulted before broadcasting.
The negative effects of such invasive coverage not only reach the victim, but also the accused. News networks scrambling to pinpoint a “bad guy” can lead to the perpetuation of a false narrative and the crucifixion of the wrong suspect. The public has a right to be informed on newsworthy events, which often includes crimes and their subsequent cases. However, it is not necessary to profit from intrusive reporting that only subjects the victims to further trauma and scrutiny.
Hannah Kleinpeter is a 20-year-old mass communication junior from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.