A recent story about a shooting in Indianapolis so disturbed Craig Ladwig, editor of Indiana Policy Review, that he felt compelled to ask me to look into how local news media are covering it. Over the course of his life, Ladwig told me he’s had five friends who were murdered or traumatically injured while going about normal everyday activities. So even though he didn’t know the victim, the news felt personal to him.
“My reaction was that each case should have been the top story on Page 1 until it was solved,” Ladwig said.
He feels the same way about the shooting death of Brett Scrogham. On May 28, the 23-year-old recent Indiana University graduate was shot in the head during a daytime robbery in a downtown Indy parking garage. Scrogham was on his way to meet family at an Indians baseball game, but he never made it. He died two days later in an area hospital.
Police have arrested a 14-year-old for the shooting. Prosecutors are considering charging him as an adult.
Ladwig and I spent more than a half-hour discussing what makes news responsible versus sensational, and what questions he thinks the community needs answered in order, as he put it, for confidence to be restored in society. He has edited the Indiana Policy Review Journal since 1989. The Indiana Policy Review Foundation is a nonprofit foundation that embraces what Ladwig calls “classical liberal” ideals (more commonly known as libertarian) as it educates the public and policymakers on state and municipal issues.
These questions get at the fundamental approach that newsrooms take as they cover issues of public safety. And research tells us that public safety is one of the topics that people are most interested in as they turn to local news.
In this column, I analyze whether the coverage has been responsible or sensational, and speak to newsroom leaders and an academic who spent much of his career in the cable TV news industry.
Ladwig told me he felt that local newsrooms were underplaying the story. “It should be at the top of the front page until it is resolved in all of its details,” he said. Ladwig, like many of us when tragedy strikes in unexpected and shocking ways, was riveted by Scrogham’s story.
Daily front-page or top of the newscast coverage of violent crime is an echo of a different time in the evolution of local news. In the ‘90s, this same incident would likely have received wall-to-wall coverage for days on end.
Other than the low frequency of stories, Ladwig said he believes the recent coverage of Scrogham’s shooting has been largely responsible, and I agree. It is alarming when a person just going about his day is gunned down, allegedly by a minor, barely in his teens. The story warrants significant coverage, which Scrogham’s death has received.
This is a rare crime in Indy. As the case moves forward, newsrooms have choices to make about how they frame the story for the public. As news consumers, we need to know the facts of the incident to make sense of it and stay informed.
Similar to Ladwig’s interests, we want to see the news hold our law enforcement systems accountable for investigating and prosecuting the case. We also want the news to treat the victims with dignity and compassion. And finally, we need the journalists telling this story to educate us about how and why a crime like this happens, and help us assess what the risk is for something horrific like this happening again. When the news is complete and responsible, only then can we feel informed enough to understand what our risk is.
Indy newsrooms report the facts even when the details are sparse
I analyzed the media coverage of this story from May 28-June 5. By my count, FOX59 had the most coverage, with 10 stories over a week and a half, and WISH-TV and WRTV had the least coverage, with just five stories between the two outlets. IndyStar published four stories and an opinion piece. WTHR had seven stories.
I found this FOX59 story helpful because it provides crime statistics on downtown Indy, which gives context to the issue. This WTHR story also informs readers about the questions police can’t answer because the investigation is ongoing. IndyStar’s opinion piece by James Briggs also provides context, with his perspective, noting how politicians have treated previous bouts of “crime panic” in the city. Axios Indianapolis’s Justin L. Mack and Russell Contreras did a story exploring the fact that crime rates are declining in the city, even as criticism about crime is rising among state and federal politicians. All of these stories provided valuable context for readers and viewers trying to put Scrogham’s shooting in perspective.
WFYI reported just one story on the shooting, fitting with their mission to only cover high-interest, high-impact crime stories. And Mirror Indy and Indiana Capital Chronicle don’t cover breaking news crime stories, unless there are policies or broader stories on issues affecting the community that involve criminal justice.
I interviewed CJ Hoyt, news director at FOX59, and Ryan Martin, IndyStar’s executive editor, and both told me that providing context for a story that is inherently sensational is a priority.
Of the news outlets I reviewed, FOX59, IndyStar, WTHR, WFYI, and WFIU all added context with crime statistics that detail how unlikely an incident like this one is in downtown Indy.
“We think that providing context is an important part of responsible crime coverage,” Hoyt said. “We try to keep a focus on the victim as opposed to the perpetrator. A lot of times that humanizes the story for the viewer, draws attention to the side of the story that doesn’t feel as sensational.”
Martin echoes this intent at his newspaper: “Beyond the individual tragedy, our service journalism provides facts-forward information and takes into consideration the larger picture, including crime trends and emerging policies, so readers can understand what it means for their community.”
It’s not just the facts alone that can make a story susceptible to exploiting the audiences’ fears, it’s what people do with that information, says Frank Sesno, a professor of journalism at George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs. Sesno is also a former CNN correspondent, anchor and Washington D.C., bureau chief. He’s seen many crime stories like this, where reporting the facts can be sensitive and hard for reporters.
This shooting became political when the U.S. Sen. Jim Banks, a Republican representing Indiana, brought the story to national attention, speaking about it on the Senate floor. He assigned blame to Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears, who is a Democrat, for what he says is a revolving door for juvenile offenders in Indianapolis.
So, in the case of Scrogham’s shooting, the story became sensational, once Banks politicized it. Not only did it capture local attention, but it was a national story as well, appearing on ABC News, Fox News, and in the New York Post, to name a few.
“When I think about sensational coverage, especially when it comes to crime, I’m thinking about blaring headlines and capitalizing on the grief, not just reporting the story,” Sesno said.
Newsrooms make choices about tone and frequency as they chart coverage of a high-profile crime. The dramatic voice intonations of anchors, sirens blaring or police lights flashing in news teasers, and victims crying are all elements Sesno says capitalize on the audience’s emotions, making coverage sensational. “Is the story informing or inflaming?” he asks.
“I think local news and other news organizations have become much more aware of the traps and the trappings of sensationalized coverage in tragic situations like this,” Sesno said. “It’s up to each news director, reporter, and station to determine what they’re going to do with that knowledge.”
Hoyt and Sesno acknowledged that, in the 1990s, when crime was at a peak, television news coverage was much more likely to lean into the public’s fears and emotions. As violent crime declined across the country, news coverage stayed the same. As a result the public’s perception of crime was distorted. But that may be changing.
“I think that probably in the last 15 years, you’ve seen the media look at other ways to cover crime, and be more responsible for that coverage,” Hoyt said. He acknowledged that newsrooms are taking greater care by not broadcasting mugshot galleries and racially biasing whole communities in their crime coverage.
Julie Wolfe, vice president of content for the west region of TEGNA, which owns WTHR, said the change has been intentional at the network’s local stations.
“Over the last several years, many newsrooms across the country have done the hard work (many of them with the help of the Poynter Institute) to tear down and rebuild their crime coverage,” Wolfe said via email. “Those newsrooms have proven you can win breaking news with context and empathy. That kind of thoughtful coverage ensures our community stays informed, while treating the subjects at the center of these tragedies with respect and humanity.” The Poynter Institute oversees the Indy Public Editor Project.
How newsrooms react to unanswered questions says a lot
There are still many unanswered questions about this crime, and the public deserves answers. That’s why this shooting deserves more news coverage. If sensational news and responsible news were on a spectrum, on one end there would be a lot of highly emotional coverage designed to generate fear. On the responsible end is both accountability and explanatory journalism, answering the following questions:
- What can be done to share the full story of the victim’s life?
- Did police professionally investigate the crime?
- Was the right person arrested?
- Has everyone responsible been identified?
- Where did the gun come from?
- Did the assailant have prior encounters with law enforcement?
- What role did our juvenile justice system play, if any?
- How competent is our juvenile justice system identifying and helping violent offenders?
- If violent crime has been dropping in Indy, why is that?
- How safe is our community?
Even when the answers to these questions are not available, it’s important that journalists let audiences know they are pursuing the answers. Persistence on behalf of public information strengthens the relationship between news organizations and the people they serve.
Conversely, when journalists pursue details that cause harm without advancing the public good, the news can undermine public understanding. So far, every newsroom in Indy seems to be approaching this story with care. The fact that local newsrooms haven’t named the 14-year-old suspect speaks to ethics and guidelines around responsible reporting, taking into consideration laws governing juveniles.
While it’s not a universal standard, most newsrooms don’t name children arrested for crimes, because creating a public record undermines the child’s chances for rehabilitation or starting over with a clean slate. Our penal laws were crafted to rehabilitate children and punish adults.
“I always encourage journalists to ask: ‘What is the newsworthiness of this?’” Wolfe said. “That question often weeds out salacious details that don’t serve public safety or the court process. Each newsroom’s crime policy should address naming juvenile suspects. In general, it’s best practice not to name any suspects unless/until they are officially charged.”
FOX59 and CBS4’s Hoyt said that his stations would name the 14-year-old and use his mugshot if he’s tried as an adult. As a practice, neither station would seek additional images of a suspect, though in this case, they might, because of the unusually young age of the alleged perpetrator and the fact that he has no criminal history, Hoyt said.
Crime stories, like Scrogham’s, are also tricky for reporters because the reporters often want to say more than investigators are prepared to discuss. This, paired with the fact that violence still attracts a captive audience, can be a pitfall for local news coverage, Sesno said.
“And so it’s doubly important, triply important, people who are making editorial decisions around stories such as this, are mindful of their responsibility to the public as well as their sense of what makes good TV or what makes a good story,” Sesno said.
Reporters hold those in power responsible for public safety and getting the facts right.
Journalism has a role to play in crime stories because reporters hold those in power accountable to public safety and justice. Sensational stories aren’t helpful because we want officials to apprehend the right person. It is reasonable for journalists to ask questions about how the cops know that they’ve got the right guy. Responsible reporting presses officials on the hard questions and doesn’t fill the void of not knowing with salacious or speculative details that don’t advance a journalistic purpose.
As a news consumer, you can choose the type of coverage you want. How do the stories you’ve consumed about this incident make you feel? Did they spark anger or fear? Were the stories confusing? Or, do you feel like the journalists are at least seeking the information you need? Answering these questions will give you clues as to whether or not your emotions have been triggered, and if you feel informed adequately about what’s happened. Based on this information, you have a better understanding of responsible versus sensational news coverage.
I think we are best served when the noise and emotions of cases like Brett Scrogham’s death are set aside to make room for the facts. That is responsible coverage that is most useful to our understanding of public safety in any given situation.
I’d love to hear from you this summer. Please join me at my next “News & Nibbles: Let’s Talk Media” event at the West Indy branch of the Indianapolis Public Library, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., June 23. (1216 South Kappes Street, Indianapolis, IN 46221)
Tracey Compton is Poynter’s Indianapolis Public Editor. You can send your questions about local media to her at indypubliceditor@poynter.org.
Mirror Indy publishes the Indianapolis public editor columns as part of a partnership with Poynter Institute to increase media literacy and trust in local journalism.
