by Samantha Moilanen

Growing up, my exposure to television and electronics was limited. Like most parents, mine feared my sister and I would grow up reliant on technology for our entertainment. Nevertheless, whenever I had the opportunity, I would “discreetly” watch my parents’ TV shows, which typically included programs such as Cold Case, Criminal Minds and Law and Order.

My fascination with crime shows from a young age sparked my interest in investigative journalism. As I began my journalistic career, I found myself drawn to reporting on crimes or any societal injustices.

But one question continually haunts me: How do we fulfill our duty to report the truth while minimizing harm to victims, particularly in cases of traumatic events like mass shootings?

Since Columbine, there have been 386 school shootings in the U.S., according to data from the Washington Post updated in June.

The horrifying reality of school shootings hit close to home in November 2021 with the Oxford High School shooting in Michigan and, again, in February when Michigan State University became a target for an active shooter.

As a reporter, when covering crimes like these we quickly rush to the scene, not thinking about our safety or well-being, but only that we have to break the news of this horrific tragedy because the public deserves to know what is happening. It’s our job after all.

Yet, as journalists we also have to be mindful of how we cover these events. Behind the headlines and troubling statistics are people who have experienced unimaginable pain and suffering. We can’t forget why we do what we do. Yes, we have to break the news. But taking an extra minute to truly analyze what we’re reporting before we hit send can make a drastic difference.

Ashley Yuckenberg, an assistant professor at George Mason University wrote her dissertation on the ethical quandaries of crisis coverage as a journalist. Her research focused specifically on school shootings and analyzed how missteps in local coverage distorted the national conversation about these events.

In the well-known 1999 Columbine shooting, reporters interviewed traumatized students immediately after surviving arguably the worst experience of their lives.

Was this ethical? Of course, journalists should always interview the people directly impacted, but should they have waited?

Yuckenberg found false rumors were then reported as fact in an effort to quickly break the news which resulted in forming the stereotype of the disaffected, gun-obsessed American school shooter that lives on in our imagination today. Yuckenberg uncovered another alarming aspect that was added to the narrative shaped by the media: the suggestion that goth culture played a motivating role in school shootings.

In 2017, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a set of guidelines for journalists to follow when reporting on mass shootings. Some general principles included avoiding angles or language that could potentially glamorize the perpetrator’s actions, thus influencing copycat behavior, avoiding stories that could retraumatize survivors, and avoiding language that could stigmatize people living with mental illness.

Yuckenberg used her research to come up with five ethical issues for journalists to consider when covering mass shootings. First, be mindful of relying on unverified information from witnesses who still may be in shock because it can result in misinformation. Second, avoid including details that may sensationalize the crime and retraumatize victims. Only include information that benefits society as a whole. Third, be mindful of how your coverage could influence copycat crimes. Fourth, always offer information from both sides and contextualize all statements regarding issues like mental health. Finally, be mindful of missing information as a crisis is unfolding. Sharing the full story is important but also be aware of how the information is affecting survivors.

I never want to be the journalist who chases the story to the point that they forget why they are reporting it in the first place. I think it’s easy to get caught up in the fast-pace of the 24-hour news cycle and making a deadline can sometimes seem like the top priority. But I also want to challenge myself to practice mindfulness when reporting on crimes of all nature, and to remember that the story isn’t just a story, but these are people too.