What is allowed, what should, what should journalism do if the ineffable happens? What are the limits of reporting and how do we never repeat itself if the media contribute to the fact that what happened in Graz? The editor -in -chief “Krone” shovel with the attempt to answer unchanging questions.
Difficult hours for the whole of Austria, especially for Graz: the terrible massacre that arranged a 21-year-old on Tuesday in the Borg Dreierschützengasse leaves deep tracks. First of all with the survivors of the killed, as well as with the surviving classmates and teachers who can never extinguish the horror from the memory.
From the psychologist who has taken care of the person who is directly affected, it is heard that everyone is looking for a different way to deal with the terrible event. Some want to grieve quietly and prefer to mourn alone. Others shout their pain, more experienced and survive in conversations – some under four eyes, many in a large group to control it together.
Our conscience has decided
The journalistic processing is also different. Some representatives of foreign media had no reluctance. A large part of the Austrian journalists, on the other hand, did not try to exceed certain limits. Of course the perception or expectation of the readers/users/listener/seer is also a very different one. What is too much for one is too little. Ultimately, the conscience has to decide.
And believe me: this week I also saw a lot of dismay, compassion and some tears on the journalistic side.
You can show the photo of the perpetrator – that is one of the questions. We discussed it in detail in the editorial team and came to the conclusion: yes! There is interest in the affected people, an interest in the audience to find out who and what is behind this act. This also includes demonstrating that this 21-year-old does not look like a powerful Rambo, but rather as a scared, undeveloped being.
Graz is not allowed to repeat himself!
In the “profile”, which has grown a lot of criticism because of the online report at the Graz massacre, in the new edition, the deputy editor -in -chief Robert Treichler gives up about how to deal with the incredible events in the Graz High School. In addition to the guidelines that have been worked out in the United States, a country with numerous “school shooting”, according to which the exact presentation of the crime, the repeated mention of the number of victims, etc. should be avoided, says the colleague: “In reality you can approach these specifications at least.” Because how should one prevent all media from reporting intensively on such an exciting event and the number of victims is mentioned everywhere? Above all, he thinks that the audience does not want the least “answer the questions: who? And: why?”
Yes, that is exactly what the audience wonders, the questions are rightly we are journalists. Not in the least because of this, not to experience such a massacre in the future. Or as we today in the printed edition of the “Crown”: “Graz is not allowed to repeat himself!”
Source: Krone
I am George Kunkel, an author working for Today Times Live. I specialize in opinion pieces and cover stories that are both informative and thought-provoking – helping to shape public discourse on key issues. My work is regularly featured across the network’s many platforms, including print media and social media.
