SEPTEMBER 24, 2008

       I get a lot of e-mails from readers commenting on stories in the news. While I try to offer up my opinion on most of the topics sent to me, I’m still undecided on one that always seems to be a hot topic of copycat crimes.

       Media outlets reported extensively on the Greyhound bus beheading in the summer. Newsrooms were bombarded with people complaining about the coverage and also praising the reporting being done.

       One argument is that by giving so much detailed information about an attack such as that, it can provoke others to commit the same crimes and get 15 minutes in the spotlight.

       Being a newsperson I understand the justification about giving the public as much information about a story as possible. If anything, having an informed public is better than having a clueless one. I feel most Canadian media outlets report on sensitive subjects in a tactful and protective way without exploiting victims.

       There was uproar that the family of the beheading victim only learned the identity of their loved one after media outlets reported the news. On the flip side of that, a quick Internet search or a check of social networking websites the night before had already pinpointed the victim. While it wasn’t necessarily a media outlet that broke the story, once the information is already out there you can’t blame journalists for transmitting the information to the mainstream audience.

       Blame the bloggers, blame the Internet, blame, blame, blame. But each person is responsible for his or her own actions.

       So do I think the media reports too much sometimes? Not really. In today’s world, if the newspapers and television stations aren’t reporting on it, the amateur wannabe journalists of the world will take the less compassionate approach and spread the word as only the Internet can.