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The Leader staff was extremely shaken by the news of the double homicide in Virginia. The shooting — which took place one week ago today — was caught on live TV, as two broadcast journalists were gunned down while administering a live interview.
As journalists ourselves, we are well aware that the job can put us in potentially risky situations. But that doesn’t make the news of the deaths any less tragic. If anything, it makes it more chilling. If there is a bright side to this horrible situation, though, it’s that the media seems to be reporting respectfully.
“You always see things like, ‘Gunman had bright future, but was mentally ill,’ rather than the focus being on the lives that were lost,” said one Leader staff member. “As tragic as this is, however, I’m glad the reports are showing the beautiful lives of the two reporters, rather than the backstory of the perpetrator.”
Obviously, mental illness is an authentic problem, but it’s nice to see the media focusing on celebrating the victims rather than putting the bad guy in the spotlight. Bad things do happen in the world, and as journalists, it’s our job to report it. But it’s important to remember that journalists can also shed light on a dark situation by reporting on the good, instead of obsessing over the wreckage.
“I think people need to remember that [the journalists] were people with so much life ahead of them,” said another Leader staff member, “and we want to remember them by who they were.”
Video journalist Allison Parker and photographer Adam Ward both worked for WDBJ-TV in Roanoke, Virginia. Their smiling faces can be seen all over the news media. We’d much rather see that than a mugshot of a man who doesn’t deserve attention.