Public affairs and the media Part 1: Crime, law enforcement, courts, obituaries

Public affairs journalism One of journalism’s most important tasks, and one of its most criticized. Often involves topics that are not pleasant to talk about. Media holds up a mirror to society. Topics: Government, crime, courts, police and fire activity, injuries, death, destruction, etc.

Good training ground Public affairs reporting helps people in the media learn: - Diligence – regular contact with sources. - Knowledge – learning their beats thoroughly, from what the public officials do to how they keep records. Dealing with people and reports quickly and thoroughly.

Training … Accuracy – Reinforces the need for reporting information correctly. Writing clear explanations – Media professionals need to know how to translate professional jargon (police, law, medical, etc.) to everyday speak for readers and viewers.

Crime and accidents Police reporters cover topics that sometimes aren’t pleasant. Stories are straightforward – who, what, where, when, why, how. Can be a stressful beat. Police often wary of media. Public often wary of police.

Police reports Police records include: - Police blotter - Incident reports - Arrest and search warrants - Accident reports - Criminal history information Journalists are protected from libel if they report exactly what is in a police report – even if it is incorrect.

Police blotter May have a different name (police log, etc.) In general, a record of all activity police undertake - Calls for assistance - Includes time, location of event - Includes brief description - May include info on an arrest - Is just a summary of activity, but may tip reporters to check further.

Incident reports Give a more complete description of a crime. May include nature of the crime, location, name of the victim, when the crime occurred, what property was stolen or damaged, name or description of suspects, and name of investigating officer(s)

Warrants Police obtain warrants from a court before searching property or arrest. Warrants can provide details about what law enforcement is looking for during a search. Become public records when the arrest or search is complete.

Accident reports These describe motor vehicle accidents. Identify the time and place of the accident. Identify drivers involved, passengers, injuries, property damages. Describe how the accident occurred.

Criminal history information Criminal background is publicly available in most states. Offenders in prison may be searched electronically (Michigan OTIS.) Michigan sex offender registry.

Using the records Police and law enforcement may choose not to release records to the media while an investigation is open and ongoing. Once the investigation is complete, the records become public.

Reluctant to publish … The media is typically reluctant to publish some details about crimes: - The names of sexual assault victims. - The names of people who commit suicide. (There are exceptions.) - Details of some violent crimes and crimes of a sexual nature.

Libel A word that gets tossed around a lot – libel. It is written defamation. When a person is arrested, but has not gone through a trial, media needs to be careful how the person is identified – we say the person is arrested or charged with a crime. Don’t convict them before the court has.

Charged Media often wait until a person is formally charged with a crime before identifying the person. Media may choose to identify the person before he or she is formally charged. “Identified in an arrest warrant.”

Courts Courts and police don’t function like they do in entertainment – CSI, Law and Order, etc. Most trials last less than a week. Crimes draw news coverage because they are unusual; disrupt the community; and challenge the order of society.

Court cases Begin with a person being charged. Criminal cases – crimes against the state. Fines, incarceration possible. Civil cases – disputes between two parties. Fines possible. Courts have highly formal and ritualized procedures.

Court records Courts are important sources of information, because they keep extensive records. Official records help ensure accuracy from reporters.

Obituaries Most obituaries that appear in the media are paid for and are placed by funeral homes. Obituaries are popular, audiences like to know who has died. Euphemisms for “died.” Important to friends and family. Often the last thing ever written about someone.

Obituary stories When someone prominent dies, a story is often prepped by the media. Stories also written when someone dies young, or in an accident, unusual, unexpected circumstances. As a society, we are uncomfortable with the topic of death.

The obit story and reporters Some reporters are reluctant to do obituary stories. Is it ghoulish to do a story on someone who has died in an accident, or from sudden illness, etc.?

A story about a life When we do a story about someone who has died, it’s not about death – it’s about their life. We write about what they did, were like, accomplished, etc. Loved ones often want to talk.

Assigned the obit story? Sometimes it’s hard to contact directly the person’s family or loved ones. - Funeral homes can be quite helpful. It’s probably the last thing that will be written about the person. Because of that, any errors are that much worse than normal.

The bottom line Crime and police stories can be difficult to handle some times. If you have a particularly difficult time with one story, or the beat itself, ask for help. Good reporting of difficult circumstances requires not only careful handling of the facts, but empathy as well.

Bottom line, cont. The media is reluctant to report details of some crimes. Make sure you know your organization’s policies. Don’t convict someone of a crime in your wording before the courts have. Obituary stories are about a person’s life, not their death. Their family and friends often welcome such stories.

Questions?