The other night before I went to bed, I quickly flipped through my news apps to see what was in the headlines. Show prep never stops, and what’s news tonight from these legitimate news sources will form the backbone of my show in the morning.
On the landing page of app number one, a close-up photo of a skin condition that would even make a mother gag. Any description of it would have to use the words seeping and pus. I quickly moved to another app where I was confronted with the body of an emaciated, dead dog at the centre of an abuse case.
My former News Director Stephanie Smyth used to guide us with the phrase, “mass with class”. In other words, tell the story, be truthful, but keep it dignified. In these cases, using those particular, disturbing photos would be better embedded in the story. If someone wants to know more, they can click on the headline and see the photos. Don’t shove them into unsuspecting eyes without a warning.
The same goes for radio news. Some newscasters seem to almost delight in delivering unnecessary details about child and animal abuse in the morning when people are just waking up and trying to come to terms with simply going to work, let alone the number of contusions found on a body. Stephanie used to say, “Don’t tease a dead child”. That means, don’t use a horrible story as a show promo. A tease is when you hear the announcer say, “Coming up….”. Someone’s family tragedy shouldn’t become a hook to try to keep people listening. It just sounds classless and lowbrow and it’s unnecessary. Do the story, sure, but don’t try to make someone’s devastating loss sound like a hit record that people are waiting to hear.
Journalists aren’t thinking like their consumers when they make these decisions. The Internet has desensitized some people about what’s appropriate and what’s not. You really can’t lose with this approach, as long as the story is still being told truthfully and well with a little class.