Looking over WYMT-TV's news website today and catching up on the latest news. I clicked on a story about a traffic accident that killed a one person in Breathitt County. I find the story, along with a huge picture of the crashed vehicle, taken after it was removed from the accident scene and sitting in a junkyard. As a matter of fact, there are 5 pictures of the crashed and burned vehicle.
My question is this: Did I really need to see those pictures? I found it distrubing and in poor taste. Someone died in that vehicle. It's one thing to see the accident scene and the crash as it happened - the wreckage and emergency personnel. We are conditioned to see those things. But to see the burned and battered vehicle afterward from every angle to me is in poor taste and unnecessary.
http://www.wkyt.com/wymtnews/headlines/7378931.html
It happens all the time. Anytime there is a wreck on the news here they often show a picture of the wreck. You can't blame them either, people slow down all the time just to rubberneck and see what happened/how bad the wreck was. It's not anything uncommon though.
ComfortEagle Wrote:It happens all the time. Anytime there is a wreck on the news here they often show a picture of the wreck. You can't blame them either, people slow down all the time just to rubberneck and see what happened/how bad the wreck was. It's not anything uncommon though.
It's uncommon to show the wrecked vehicle hours later at the junkyard with multiple angles of the wreckage for the sake or reporting. That's in bad taste - JMO.
Showing pictures of the accident scene is one thing. Going out of your way to take multiple photographs hours later at the junkyard is something else.
I agree JJ. I think that it was really stupid. The News Express did something similar when one of my friends got killed. The picture wasn't his beautiful senior pic take was taken just a month before the accident. Instead it was of him in a body bag being carried out of the river. On the page where the story was continued was a huge story and picture about a boy going into the military which had been my friend's lifelong dream and he was killed before leaving. I think that is the most disrespectful thing that I've ever seen media around here do.
thetribe Wrote:I agree JJ. I think that it was really stupid. The News Express did something similar when one of my friends got killed. The picture wasn't his beautiful senior pic take was taken just a month before the accident. Instead it was of him in a body bag being carried out of the river. On the page where the story was continued was a huge story and picture about a boy going into the military which had been my friend's lifelong dream and he was killed before leaving. I think that is the most disrespectful thing that I've ever seen media around here do.
Blood and guts ambulance chasers. Nothing pisses me off more. Why appeal to these people? Ratings/sales? Where the responsibility in journalism?
As many folks know here, I work at a radio station. If we are covering an accident report, we are careful about what details are given out over-the-air. No names until all family members have been notified and officials release the name. Do not release the descriptions of the vehicles because it's in poor taste and in a small community like the mountians, most folks know everyone.
Where is the respect for the families and friends of the victims?