KC Star gets it right on murder epidemic coverage
Given the daily violence in our world, and the political polarization inherent in the gun debate, it might seem that journalists, and particularly peace journalists, have no choice but to impotently stand by and do little but report about the carnage.
However, recent coverage in the Kansas City Star is disproving that theory.
First, The Star’s coverage has increasingly focused on victims, rather than just the usual recitation of a murder’s gory details. Stories like “Relatives of P&L shooting victims speak out” (https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article234365432.html) and “Family mourns KCK shooting victim” (https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article13063739.html) follow a key peace journalism principle, giving a voice to the voiceless, in this instance, the friends and families of murder victims. Articles like these correctly take the spotlight off of shooters, and put is squarely on the victims whose lives were cut short. It’s gratifying that a platform is available for families to make statements like, ““He was known for being humble and he always asked for advice on life and what he could do to make himself better.”
In addition, The Star has attempted to move beyond just “play by play” coverage of crime, and instead is discussing solutions, another key PJ principle. One example is a recent guest column by a criminal justice professor who lays out possible solutions to the gun violence epidemic in Kansas City, including focusing on gun accessibility, the local jail, and on anti-violence technology. (https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/readers-opinion/guest-commentary/article234578187.html)
Finally, a recent Star editorial pulls no punches as it admonishes the community for its indifference to epidemic violence that is impacting especially the African-American community, noting that the “incredibly, and indefensibly, this city has reacted to the growing (gun violence) crisis with a collective shrug.” This crisis includes the recent murders of three Kansas City, Missouri Public Schools (KCPS) students in a nine day period. The KCPS are a majority African-American district. In a much needed slap in the face for readers, the editorial asks what the reaction would be if the young murder victims were from white majority school districts. “What would the public be if these shootings had occurred in more affluent suburbs like Blue Springs or Lee’s Summit… or if students from (exclusive) private schools like Rockhurst High School or St. Theresa’s Academy had their lives cut short by gun violence?”
(https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article234675022.html#storylink=mainstage)
While journalism alone can’t solve society’s problems, we as journalists can take a cue from the Star, and remain vigilant while reporting with victims and solutions in mind. As I wrote in Peace Journalism Principles and Practices, “Peace journalists would cover daily crime in a way that is less episodic and more analytical, and be proactive in exploring community issues that explain crime. PJ would also offer counter-narrative crime stories that show the deep impact that crime has on communities, and explore possible solutions other than incarceration.”
However, recent coverage in the Kansas City Star is disproving that theory.
First, The Star’s coverage has increasingly focused on victims, rather than just the usual recitation of a murder’s gory details. Stories like “Relatives of P&L shooting victims speak out” (https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article234365432.html) and “Family mourns KCK shooting victim” (https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article13063739.html) follow a key peace journalism principle, giving a voice to the voiceless, in this instance, the friends and families of murder victims. Articles like these correctly take the spotlight off of shooters, and put is squarely on the victims whose lives were cut short. It’s gratifying that a platform is available for families to make statements like, ““He was known for being humble and he always asked for advice on life and what he could do to make himself better.”
In addition, The Star has attempted to move beyond just “play by play” coverage of crime, and instead is discussing solutions, another key PJ principle. One example is a recent guest column by a criminal justice professor who lays out possible solutions to the gun violence epidemic in Kansas City, including focusing on gun accessibility, the local jail, and on anti-violence technology. (https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/readers-opinion/guest-commentary/article234578187.html)
Finally, a recent Star editorial pulls no punches as it admonishes the community for its indifference to epidemic violence that is impacting especially the African-American community, noting that the “incredibly, and indefensibly, this city has reacted to the growing (gun violence) crisis with a collective shrug.” This crisis includes the recent murders of three Kansas City, Missouri Public Schools (KCPS) students in a nine day period. The KCPS are a majority African-American district. In a much needed slap in the face for readers, the editorial asks what the reaction would be if the young murder victims were from white majority school districts. “What would the public be if these shootings had occurred in more affluent suburbs like Blue Springs or Lee’s Summit… or if students from (exclusive) private schools like Rockhurst High School or St. Theresa’s Academy had their lives cut short by gun violence?”
(https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article234675022.html#storylink=mainstage)
While journalism alone can’t solve society’s problems, we as journalists can take a cue from the Star, and remain vigilant while reporting with victims and solutions in mind. As I wrote in Peace Journalism Principles and Practices, “Peace journalists would cover daily crime in a way that is less episodic and more analytical, and be proactive in exploring community issues that explain crime. PJ would also offer counter-narrative crime stories that show the deep impact that crime has on communities, and explore possible solutions other than incarceration.”
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