Crime Coverage
- Published in print:
- 2021
- Published Online:
- December 2020
- ISBN:
- 9780190863531
- eISBN:
- 9780190863579
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190863531.003.0006
- Subject:
- Sociology, Law, Crime and Deviance
Based on sound Enlightenment ideals, Watchdog journalists’ push to publish names of accused persons and details of crimes has merit: Citizens are seen as rational and considered capable of deciding ...
More
Based on sound Enlightenment ideals, Watchdog journalists’ push to publish names of accused persons and details of crimes has merit: Citizens are seen as rational and considered capable of deciding for themselves whether and how to act on information. But the biggest threats to the commitment to giving citizens the information they need to be free and self-governing are economic ones. In this model, crime coverage decisions can be swayed, consciously or not, by considerations like competition, ownership, shrinking job markets and newsrooms, technology, globalization, and social media. In some instances, accused persons are “monstered” by news coverage for sensationalist ends. Drawing on work by Carol Gilligan, Robert Reiner, James Carey, and others, we argue that the justice orientation central to Enlightenment beliefs must be complemented by a responsibility orientation where people acknowledge their connections to one another as part of the larger social fabric.Less
Based on sound Enlightenment ideals, Watchdog journalists’ push to publish names of accused persons and details of crimes has merit: Citizens are seen as rational and considered capable of deciding for themselves whether and how to act on information. But the biggest threats to the commitment to giving citizens the information they need to be free and self-governing are economic ones. In this model, crime coverage decisions can be swayed, consciously or not, by considerations like competition, ownership, shrinking job markets and newsrooms, technology, globalization, and social media. In some instances, accused persons are “monstered” by news coverage for sensationalist ends. Drawing on work by Carol Gilligan, Robert Reiner, James Carey, and others, we argue that the justice orientation central to Enlightenment beliefs must be complemented by a responsibility orientation where people acknowledge their connections to one another as part of the larger social fabric.
Crime Coverage
- Published in print:
- 2021
- Published Online:
- December 2020
- ISBN:
- 9780190863531
- eISBN:
- 9780190863579
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190863531.003.0005
- Subject:
- Sociology, Law, Crime and Deviance
Watchdog reporters’ crime coverage practices are contrasted with those of the Protector countries; while the latter largely trust their institutions and government officials, Watchdogs do not. Thus, ...
More
Watchdog reporters’ crime coverage practices are contrasted with those of the Protector countries; while the latter largely trust their institutions and government officials, Watchdogs do not. Thus, they routinely publish extensive details about an offense, an alleged perpetrator, and victims. This chapter explores how, on the one hand, these details can lead to an exploration of larger social issues, but, on the other hand, they can also lead to sensationalism. Watchdogs want few limits on transparency, but they can lose sight of what people need to know, and cater to capitalist ends, rather than sound, journalistic ones. Journalists in this model see their primary obligation as informing the people because sunlight is the best disinfectant. Using an historical perspective, we outline how the principles of the Enlightenment, the emphasis on the individual, and an abiding belief in peoples’ ability to be rational, underlie this ethical perspective and influence crime coverage choices.Less
Watchdog reporters’ crime coverage practices are contrasted with those of the Protector countries; while the latter largely trust their institutions and government officials, Watchdogs do not. Thus, they routinely publish extensive details about an offense, an alleged perpetrator, and victims. This chapter explores how, on the one hand, these details can lead to an exploration of larger social issues, but, on the other hand, they can also lead to sensationalism. Watchdogs want few limits on transparency, but they can lose sight of what people need to know, and cater to capitalist ends, rather than sound, journalistic ones. Journalists in this model see their primary obligation as informing the people because sunlight is the best disinfectant. Using an historical perspective, we outline how the principles of the Enlightenment, the emphasis on the individual, and an abiding belief in peoples’ ability to be rational, underlie this ethical perspective and influence crime coverage choices.
