At a Crossroads or Caught in the Crossfire?

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...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journalism practice 2017-11, Vol.11 (9), p.1079
Main Authors: Patterson, Maggie Jones, Smith Fullerton, Romayne, Tuñón Navarro, Jorge
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Clientelism
Crime
Journalism
Journalistic ethics
Leaking of information
News media
Partisanship
Professional standards
Public interest
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
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