At a Crossroads or Caught in the Crossfire?: Crime coverage concerns for democracy in Portugal, Spain, and Italy

This study of crime reporting shows that keeping crime records secret hurts democratic consolidation. While many reporters and journalism experts interviewed claimed to value the presumption of innocence, at the same time, many skirted legal restrictions and ethical codes. Police and prosecutors sup...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journalism practice 2017-10, Vol.11 (9), p.1079-1100
Main Authors: Patterson, Maggie Jones, Smith Fullerton, Romayne, Tuñón Navarro, Jorge
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
clientelism
crime
journalism
leaks
police
presumption of innocence
prosecutors
public records
secrecy
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Summary:This study of crime reporting shows that keeping crime records secret hurts democratic consolidation. While many reporters and journalism experts interviewed claimed to value the presumption of innocence, at the same time, many skirted legal restrictions and ethical codes. Police and prosecutors supplied leaks, and reporters sought further information from witnesses. This porous secrecy leads to publication of rumors and unreliable eye-witness accounts. Four exacerbating factors affect this reporting method: widespread "clientelism," a partisan news media, an alternative definition of "public interest," and weak professionalism.
ISSN:1751-2786
1751-2794
DOI:10.1080/17512786.2016.1234944