Here are some resources you can use as your newsroom discusses whether to identify the woman who has accused Kobe Bryant of rape and has now filed a civil suit against him using her real name. Like many news organizations, Poynter Online is discussing whether to name or not. At this point, we are neither publishing the name nor linking to articles that do so.
The Thorny Question of Linking
October 21, 2004
As newsrooms decide whether to publish disturbing images or the names of certain victims or accusers, the linking issue looms.
Rocky's Editor Pegs Naming Decision to Fairness
October 20, 2004
John Temple says lack of reader response suggests the Rocky got it right -- and that journalists may be exaggerating the significance of the naming issue.
Accuser's Attorney: Naming Endangers Client
October 15, 2004
Bob Steele interviews Lin Wood about ethics, the media, and his client -- Kobe Bryant's accuser.
Naming the Accuser: Inside One Colorado Newsroom's Decision
October 15, 2004
By Steve Outing
What do you do when another newspaper in your market has named the woman who accused NBA superstar Kobe Bryant of rape?
Every Newsroom has a Decision to Make
October 15, 2004
By Kelly McBride
Every newsroom has a decision to make. A local decision. This is no time simply to follow the wire service, the TV networks, or even the competitor across town. You've got to decide: Now that the accuser in the Kobe Bryant case has re-filed her civil suit under her own name, will your newsroom name her in print, on the air or online?
Collection of Newsroom Decisions on the Naming Issue
October 15, 2004
As newsrooms around the country work through their decisions to name or not name the accuser in the Kobe Bryant case, we'll include as many examples as possible as a resource on the issue. If your newsroom has reached a decision, please alert us via webstaff@poynter.org.
Naming Depends on Story Evolution
October 15, 2004
By Elizabeth Carr
In light of the recent developments in the case against Kobe Bryant, I interviewed Tim Ryan, the Assistant News Director at KUSA News9 in Denver about the possibility of naming Bryant's accuser now that the judge has said the accuser can no longer file under a pseudonym. This is an edited version of our telephone conversation. Ryan has been at KUSA for 13 years.
Court Order Denying Plaintiff's Motion to Proceed Anonymously Under Pseudonym of Jane Doe (PDF)
October 6, 2004
Naming the Accuser: Discuss Your Verdict Now
August 25, 2004
By Kelly McBride
Don't let developments in the Bryant case force decisions on deadline that would be better weighed in advance.
Unraveling Rape Coverage
November 6, 2003
By Geneva Overholser
Every journalism debate I've seen on the Kobe Bryant case throws a lot of disparate subjects into one troubling pot. Let's separate out a few strands.
Globe Defends Decision to Publish Name, Photo of Kobe Accuser
November 4, 2003
By Jeffrey Rodack
I called my 25-year-old son, who works for a marketing agency in Los Angeles, and told him we were thinking of naming the young woman who is accusing Kobe Bryant of rape. Without hesitating, he blurted out her name.
Tabloid Publishes Prom Picture of Kobe Accuser
October 31, 2003
By Kelly McBride
Don't do it. Don't follow the Globe. And tell your readers and viewers and listeners why you won't follow suit. Use this as an opportunity to stand for the principles of a noble profession rather than racing your competitors to the depths of an anything-goes-as-long-as-it-sells contest.
Name the Accuser and the Accused
July 23, 2003
By Geneva Overholser
In the crime of rape, it is time we named the accuser as well as the accused. An awful lot of cruelty surrounds the crime of rape. The crime itself, of course, is unspeakably cruel. And the reaction is often cruel, as well. In what other instance are victims so painfully scrutinized? Where else do we see such loathsome insinuations about a victim's character? So many false assumptions? So much ignorance? Cruelty feeds on ignorance. And I have yet to see ignorance effectively addressed by secrecy.
On Alleged Victims
July 21, 2003
By Dr. Ink
'Alleged' ... is used, in law and media, to reinforce the presumption of innocence ... There is no reason, however, to use the word to cast doubt about the person who claims to be the victim of a crime. Doc says: Let's call that person 'the accuser' rather than 'the alleged victim.'
Survivors Speak: Notes from a Conference on Rape & Media
October 14, 2002
By Robin Sloan
News organizations don't have to wait for 'news' to happen to cover rape. It's always happening -- every day, everywhere.
Naming Rape Victims
August 10, 2002
By Bob Steele
I support the approach that gives victims the choice of being identified, though I worry when that choice is presented to teenagers or to any victim whose considerable vulnerability may impede a reasoned decision that weighs all the consequences of the choice.
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Focusing on the Full PictureMay 5, 2003
By Kelly McBride
I can't tell whether Chris Stark is laughing or crying. I think David Newson is doing both. Sharon Franck's eyes are fixed on an object somewhere between here and there. And Josephine Frescas Salinas' face is fixed between a sigh and a smile.
Crossing the Line
May 5, 2003
By Nobuko Oyabu
I may be naive. I wonder: Is it my problem that I am idealistic about journalism? As a photojournalist, I believe my job is to give readers a better understanding of news events with pictures. But I also believe my goal is to offer the public something more than pictures.
Understanding the Story of Rape
May 5, 2003
By Tom Huang
I am listening to Heather. She is a college student. She has this story to tell: A family friend raped her when she was 6. Soon after, the man introduced her to another friend, who raped her.
Naming the Central Park Jogger
February 13, 2003
By Kelly McBride
If she's making money off her story, does she deserve privacy?
Rape and American Journalism
December 13, 2002
By Kelly McBride
Journalists have been talking about rape a lot this year. And we've been talking about rape a lot here at Poynter. The discussion began last summer when two teenagers were kidnapped from their boyfriends' cars in Lancaster, Calif., and rescued 12 hours later, physically unharmed. Ultimately a sheriff revealed the abductor raped both girls. The Lancaster kidnapping lead to a lot of soul-searching about how we cover rape in the American media. But it hasn’t stopped there.
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