ROTHENBURGER: Thoughts on a bad intersection and publishing accident photos

I’ve done it many times and it’s enough to scare the crap out of anybody. The cheap solution is to close off the intersection; the expensive one is an overpass. Pick one.

The second thing I have to say is in response to those who have objected to the publication of photos of the accident.

I have a different view. There’s a long-standing policy — written or unwritten — among local media that they don’t publish photos showing the bodies of the victims of car crashes or other kinds of fatal incidents like fires or drownings, or of people in severe medical distress.

This is a good policy, based on sensitivity not only toward families and friends of victims, but to the public at large.

The practice doesn’t extend to the depiction of damaged vehicles or buildings. The media have a responsibility to report negative events as well as positive. They aren’t ghouls. They must do their jobs in a respectful way while including enough details to provide an accurate account.

Publishing photos of accident scenes but not of the victims is a compromise that isn’t made everywhere but it’s done here and I think it’s a good one.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and newspaper editor. He publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.

by Mel Rothenburger

ROTHENBURGER: Thoughts on a bad intersection and publishing accident photos

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