WBA NewsroomCovering breaking news at a crime scene or emergency falls within the job description of any broadcast news reporter or photographer. The recent police shooting in Madison provided a number of challenges for electronic media professionals, covering not only the scene of the shooting, but the protests that quickly materialized after the shooting, which left a young black man dead. If you are a reporter or photographer new to Wisconsin, or not experienced in covering live crime scenes, this special section of the WBA Newsroom will quickly bring you up to speed on what’s allowed and what isn’t; and provides suggestions from police authorities on their expectations of the media covering crime scenes. As a reporter or photographer it’s important to know what your rights are, and it helps to know in advance what police expectations regarding media coverage might be.
Pro tip: “officer-involved shooting” is police jargon which has crept into news writing and reporting. “Police shooting” is accurate and descriptive.
Posted by Tim Morrissey March 7, 2015