Public must be sensitive
Contrary to the belief of many, journalists are not ‘vultures’, gleefully descending on gruesome scenes anxiously waiting to get the most gory photos or news angles
NEWSPAPER reporters have the burden of having to be present at extremely distressing scenes.
Contrary to the belief of many, journalists are not ‘vultures’, gleefully descending on gruesome scenes anxiously waiting to get the most gory photos or news angles.
They are mere human beings, subject to the same emotional pressures as anyone else.
They are mothers, sisters, daughters; sons, fathers and brothers.
They see victims of accidents and murders in the same manner – not just as stories, but as people.
Reporters often need counselling after returning from fatal or bloody incidents.
In doing their duties, they try to be sensitive to the scene and be as much in the background and unobtrusive as possible.
While capturing the essence of the tragedy, they also try to ensure their photos are as inoffensive as possible given the factual trauma of the circumstances.
Both on scene as well as in the publication of the stories themselves, journalists are governed by both internal and external (Press Council) codes of conduct.
Would that the same rules applied to some members of the public, who feel they not only have the right to photograph at will, both to also post online all the grisly details.
This then starts a chain of re-posting, adding comments and opinions (often extremely libellous) that fly back and forth without regard to the victims’ loved ones.
Our most recent experience in this regard concerned the tragic and untimely death of the young female student whose body was found in a field outside Empangeni.
Passers-by were taking cellphone photos (perhaps even videos), zooming close at her naked body, and these were distributed online.
It did not help that they had free reign with the police taking almost three hours to get to the scene after being notified.
Eventually barrier tape was erected and the public was moved further back.
However, by then the crime scene had been contaminated and the worst of the images had been captured.
We suggest authorities should investigate the sources of the online images and videos, and take action.
