Sunday, May 15, 2005
When Is a Funeral News?
Funerals for two little girls who were stabbed to death in Zion, IL, on Mother's Day are being held this weekend. Laura Hobbs was 8 years old; her best friend, Krystal Tobias, was 9. Adding to the brutal nature of the killings is the fact that Laura's father, Jerry Hobbs, has been charged with their murders.
Krystal's funeral was yesterday. Laura's is today. I don't normally work on weekends, except, of course, when there is a real big story...or, some breaking news. Some will make an argument that the girls' funerals are a big story. After all, you'll see the story on the national TV news. So, it must be big? Right?
Well, you won't see me standing in the background in any of the video.
With a few exceptions, I've always taken issue with the somewhat regular practice of covering funerals as news events. Some - but not all - of those exceptions include the funerals of newsmakers or well-known celebrities...or, the dramatic funerals of hero cops and firefighters.
But these were just a couple of little girls whose only mistake was going for a bike ride on a warm Sunday afternoon.
What actual news will come out of the girls' funerals? Their mothers certainly aren't going to talk to the media. We've already conducted more than enough interviews with other relatives, neighbors and friends. Yet, TV will have the obligatory pictures of grieving family members entering and leaving the church...along with a couple of sound bites from "family friends" about how tragic this was. There will probably be a radio reporter or two there, as well...describing the "long line of mourners, all dressed in black" entering the church. Today's tribune has a photograph of grieving relatives from Krystal's funeral on Saturday; you can be sure a similar photo from Laura's funeral will be in Monday's paper.
What's the point? What news will be made?
Do we have to cover it because our competitors may be covering it? Do they decide what is news to our audience?
This is not to say I'll never cover another funeral. I most certainly will. And, if ABC had called and said they really needed some one at one of the girls' funerals...well, after all, they are the bosses. But, it's not something I would choose to cover on my own.
Krystal's funeral was yesterday. Laura's is today. I don't normally work on weekends, except, of course, when there is a real big story...or, some breaking news. Some will make an argument that the girls' funerals are a big story. After all, you'll see the story on the national TV news. So, it must be big? Right?
Well, you won't see me standing in the background in any of the video.
With a few exceptions, I've always taken issue with the somewhat regular practice of covering funerals as news events. Some - but not all - of those exceptions include the funerals of newsmakers or well-known celebrities...or, the dramatic funerals of hero cops and firefighters.
But these were just a couple of little girls whose only mistake was going for a bike ride on a warm Sunday afternoon.
What actual news will come out of the girls' funerals? Their mothers certainly aren't going to talk to the media. We've already conducted more than enough interviews with other relatives, neighbors and friends. Yet, TV will have the obligatory pictures of grieving family members entering and leaving the church...along with a couple of sound bites from "family friends" about how tragic this was. There will probably be a radio reporter or two there, as well...describing the "long line of mourners, all dressed in black" entering the church. Today's tribune has a photograph of grieving relatives from Krystal's funeral on Saturday; you can be sure a similar photo from Laura's funeral will be in Monday's paper.
What's the point? What news will be made?
Do we have to cover it because our competitors may be covering it? Do they decide what is news to our audience?
This is not to say I'll never cover another funeral. I most certainly will. And, if ABC had called and said they really needed some one at one of the girls' funerals...well, after all, they are the bosses. But, it's not something I would choose to cover on my own.
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UPDATE...
Laura's mother did, in fact, speak at her daughter's funeral on Sunday. As you might imagine, it was quite emotional.
I wan't there...but I do have access to audio from the funeral. And, yes, I will use the audio.
I realize I am contradicting my own original post, to a certain degree. While I still question whether the funeral of a crime victim constitutes "news"...there is no denying that Laura's mother's heartfelt comments were, indeed, newsworthy.
So, was my original hypothesis flawed...or, am I simply caving in? I think I know the answer...but would like to hear your thoughts.
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Laura's mother did, in fact, speak at her daughter's funeral on Sunday. As you might imagine, it was quite emotional.
I wan't there...but I do have access to audio from the funeral. And, yes, I will use the audio.
I realize I am contradicting my own original post, to a certain degree. While I still question whether the funeral of a crime victim constitutes "news"...there is no denying that Laura's mother's heartfelt comments were, indeed, newsworthy.
So, was my original hypothesis flawed...or, am I simply caving in? I think I know the answer...but would like to hear your thoughts.
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