We should be cautious to cover a sensitive story-someone who has just lost his or her loved one or a accused person or one who has been an eyewitness to a tragedy.The question that a senior Journalist asks for himself is how do I do it and still retain my journalistic ethics.Don’t ever shoot anybody without his or her permission-I agree with others that this strategy doesn’t apply to most other situations,but I myself apply this strategy where emotions are running high and the person whose visuals we want to take,is an ordinary person not a public figure.To cover sensitive stories such as someone who lost loved ones, I usually avoid usual equipments such as tripods and lighting instruments.So that,subjects can forget about camera’s presence.To shoot in the environment friendly situation,subjects can express themselves naturally.
According to Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma :
1. Always treat victims with dignity and respect — the way you want to be treated in a similar situation. Journalists will always seek to approach sur-vivors, but they should do it with sensitivity, including knowing when and how to back off.
2. Clearly identify yourself: “I am Joe Hight with The Oklahoman and I am doing a story on Jessica’s life.” Don’t be surprised if you receive a harsh reaction at first, especially from parents of child victims. However, do not respond by reacting harshly.
3. You can say you’re sorry for the person’s loss, but never say “I understand” or “I know how you feel.” Don’t be surprised, too, especially when covering acts of political violence, if a subject responds to your apology by saying, “Sorry isn’t good enou gh.” Remain respectful.
4. Don’t overwhelm with the hardest questions first. Begin with questions such as, “Can you tell me about Jerry’s life?” Or, “What did Jerry like to do? What were his favorite hobbies?” Then listen! The worst mistake a reporter can do is to talk too much.
5. Be especially careful when interviewing relatives of anyone who is missing, and try to clarify that you seek to profile their lives before they disappeared and not to write their obituaries. If you’re unable to contact the victim or survivor, try calling a relative or th e funeral home to request an interviewor obtain comments. If you receive a harsh reaction, leave a phone number or your card and explain that t he survivor can call if she or he wants to talk later. This often leads to the best stories.
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