What is the job of journalism? It is to spread word, to ask questions, to hold to account – all of them noble principles. Which is fine in principle, the trouble is doing the job can be not very noble at all.
Because beyond the principles of journalism are real people, suffering real heartache. Their story may need to be shared with the nation, it may raise crucial questions that must be answered, but it is also their life.
A reporter should never forget that our stories aren’t just stories.
At ITV News we are daily faced with the challenge of reconciling our duty to report the story with our duty to care about the people we report on. The two do not always fit neatly together – far from it at times.
During our coverage of the Cumbria shootings I have been acutely aware of the need to explain to the country what happened, whilst being sensitive to the West Cumbrian people it happened to. I have been determined to ask tough questions of the police so that lessons can be learnt, whilst remembering that the officers involved are also people – part of the community. Not always easy.
ITV viewers have – as ever – been brilliant at letting me know when they think I’ve got it right, and when they don’t (look for me on twitter or face book if you want to do the same).
Yesterday morning our Editor Deborah Turness decided that the point had been reached when we should step back from covering the story in Cumbria on the national news. She asked that we now only report on the funerals with a short update – a picture of the person who lost their life and a couple of images of the funeral.
We think we have covered the story well enough – it’s time to give people time to grieve.
Plainly we will return to the story in time – and if there is a development that merits closer attention. Crucially we still haven’t been given the full picture of how the police handled the events that unfolded. It seems clear to me that the Cumbrian police did their very best, a number displayed real bravery. But it is also crucial for the country that any lessons are uncovered and learnt. That any mistakes are not hidden. What if Derrick Bird had been a terrorist? Or even ten terrorists as was the case in Mumbai?
And as ever – I will welcome your feedback as to whether we strike the right balance between the fair and the firm, the inquisitive and the intrusive.
http://blog.itv.com/news/author/keirsimmons/
