It's almost been a week since that horrifying shooting. The innocent lives lost. The mothers and fathers without their children. The kids without their friends, without teachers. The list goes on. Newtown, Connecticut will forever be remembered by Sandy Hook Elementary. It's a day most of us will never forget. The worst mass shooting in Elementary School history. As I type that sentence, I can't help but ask myself why? Why the kids? Why, why, why?
It's an event we can't fathom. We don't understand. Yet, it's real. As a journalist-- we try to give the public facts. We grieve and we cry. One day we may even know why. But, does that really give us the answer?
As I watched Breaking News coverage, I just sat in my living room. I didn't say anything. I read twitter and Facebook and other online sites. The anger, fear, sadness felt by many across this nation.
I heard people upset over the wrong facts that were initially reported. People upset over reporting the suspects name. Everyone has an opinion. I'm disappointed that the facts were wrong, initially. If all of us are asking the question why.. then why don't people want to know about the shooter?
Yes, I want to know about the children, the victims, those teachers. I want to know who they were.
I'm not sure where I'm supposed to be going with this. Everyone will always question the way journalists report something. They didn't do this, they didn't do that. Every station is trying to be first. I definitely think this unfortunate situation will change the media. We have to learn from our mistakes. We have to listen to viewers. If we don't, viewership will stop. No one will listen to us. Right now, every citizen can consider themselves a journalist.
Every car accident, every shooting, every fire.. is this news? Where are we supposed to draw the line?
It's not up to you 'to draw it' you just 'know' or you don't, and then, it is not up to you either, as the public, if they need to know, or have not yet been made aware of it, and it is knowledge that we need.. either bad or good, it is our place to determine that answer.
ReplyDeleteWe are our own people. Before, and after opinion, and liability, and as always, you do a beautiful job of it Jillian!