That was the question thousands of editors in newsrooms all over the country asked their reporters today when it was reported that more than 25 people, including elementary-aged children, were shot to death in a Connecticut school.
I made a conscious effort for several hours not to comment on these events in any sort - not here or on Facebook or Twitter (where I got a RT from Pulitzer Tweets about my outrage). But here we go.
Plenty of people will have their say about the shooter and about gun control, but my comments have nothing to do with the incident itself, which is obviously horrific and maddening.
As a former journalist, I do take solace on days like today that I am just that. At first, I was grateful that I didn't have an editor telling me
today that I had to be the one to "localize" a national tragedy by
talking to school officials and first responders to find out what their
crisis plans consist of and what their thoughts were in the minutes
after they found out the news. I was also grateful to be able to read a book to my son, take him outside for a walk and hold him as he began to fall asleep. I know every parent is doing the same thing tonight.
As the day unfolded, I continued to watch hours of news coverage, just as I did when I heard about Columbine and 9/11, as I am sure thousands of people did. The more interviews I saw today with children who were in the school at the time, the more I became disgusted by the media. One reporter asked a girl, "How many gun shots did you hear?"
Are you serious? Not only did he, and many other reports, have the audacity to interview a child who had just
endured an unspeakable tragedy, but that was one of his questions? Shame on every reporter who approached elementary children to ask them questions after watching their friends, classmates and teachers die in front of them. What could a traumatized child possibly add to your report? There is no news value. There is no justification. There is no tact. This, sadly, is the culture of the media now.
A former co-worker posted on Facebook that she cried while driving home
after covering today's events. At least there are some
people in the business (including many of the people I have worked with) who have hearts and see people as people, not
just sources of information.
In addition, the "facts" being reported about the incident changed so often that it was difficult to keep up with what was real and what was "reported." Law enforcement didn't make an official statement on who the shooter was until a couple hours ago, but media outlets reported the names of two brothers at separate times. One of them is dead, and the other may or may not have even been involved, but his life has been destroyed either way, because for several hours, his name and image were being plastered on TV as the shooter. If there is one thing you learn in journalism school, it is the value of accuracy in your reporting, right down to the grammar and punctuation. Neither seems as important as publicizing the wrong name of an alleged mass murderer.
Fortunately, my only involvement in this needs to be praying for those involved, as well as all victims of violence and injustice. You should join me.
