Coverage of the death penalty is episodic, with journalists converging at the most dramatic moments — when an execution is imminent — to offer updates and last-minute explanation and context on issues that deserve a fuller, more frequent treatment. As an execution nears, journalism’s focus is appropriately on the specifics of that situation: the legal drama, the crimes and evidence, the families. But a brief mention or count of protesters outside the prison does an injustice to the facts and deeply-held beliefs that belong in a civic discussion of the death penalty. When do journalists give that discussion the time and space it deserves? The Storify below captures the related journalistic issues that arose Wednesday night as Troy Davis faced death.
Uncategorized
Troy Davis execution raises questions about episodic coverage of death penalty
Tags: MediaWire, Top Stories
More News
Opinion | A conversation with White House Correspondents’ Association president Kelly O’Donnell
Advocating for her press corps colleagues has become a second full-time job for NBC News' senior White House correspondent.
April 25, 2024
Opinion | The case for funding environmental journalism right now
Philanthropy has an important role to play in supporting reporters, but funding must be transparent and clear to maintain credibility
April 25, 2024
How Poynter transformed a hands-on workshop into an email course
Lessons learned from an experiment in building a new journalism project
April 24, 2024
Opinion | Journalists at Columbia are leading the coverage of their campus
The Columbia Daily Spectator has expertly documented tense protests over the Israel-Hamas war inside and outside the campus.
April 24, 2024
Q&A: Mina Kimes on her run from acclaimed sportswriter to Emmy-nominated NFL Analyst
The ESPN star explains how she got over her fears (and the trolls) to get better at discussing the sport she loves
April 24, 2024
Comments are closed.
Comments