Making sense of the senseless

In times of crisis, news organizations take center stage as the primary sources of communication about such events. When events such as hurricanes or terrorist attacks garner national and international attention, people turn to news sources to provide them with the information they need. The April 16 shootings at Virginia Tech are no exception. Throughout that day and the days that followed, news organizations provided up-to-the-minute news and information on the shootings, the victims, the shooter and the responses. Many people, especially those with ties to Virginia Tech, stayed glued to their television or computer for the latest developments. In situations like this, the news becomes the primary means through which citizens begin to understand and give meaning to the events that have taken place. And when a major tragedy occurs, the skills and judgment of news organizations and those who work within them are put to the test.

After the Columbine shootings in 1997, Bob Steele of the Poynter Institute wrote, “In times of crisis, we demand the best from the people on the front lines of the story. The cops. The paramedics, doctors, and nurses. The teachers. We should expect no less from the people telling those stories.”(1) Indeed, the journalists covering the Virginia Tech shootings — whether writing for the Web, producing for a national cable news organization or reporting for a local community newspaper — were expected to cover the events accurately, truthfully and tastefully. “Whatever our role, whatever our platform,” writes Steele, “we are journalists trying to put together pieces of an incomprehensible jigsaw puzzle and tell a story that has meaning.”(1)

The ways in which journalists attempt to “make sense of the senseless”(1) can vary greatly among different organizations and among different news media. For example, NBC News chose to broadcast portions of the package it received from Virginia Tech gunman Cho Seung-Hui. In a statement, NBC says it chose to air the material only “after careful consideration and with great sensitivity,” and the organization felt the material “provides some answers to the critical question, ‘WHY did this man carry out these awful murders?’”(2) NBC’s decision reflects the fact that these videos and photos, though violent and potentially offensive or painful, were the first glimpse into Cho’s state of mind when these acts were committed. Within this context, NBC decided that its role was to deliver this information despite its more controversial aspects.

The decision by NBC affiliate WSLS TV in Roanoke, Va. to ban further use of much of the material illustrates how this news organization perceived its role as different from that of NBC News. WSLS initially aired the images as “a new development in the investigation” and as “the first insight into his state of mind.”(2) But after this initial airing, WSLS chose not to continue airing the most violent of these images and words, explaining that the organization felt it was no longer newsworthy and “would only cause further pain to the Virginia Tech community.”(2) The decision reflects the affiliate’s role as a local news station that must keep in mind the ramifications of its coverage on the community it serves.

Citizens’ needs during times of crisis mean that journalists must consider the relevancy of information within the context of the individual communities they serve. Journalists must put aside their emotions and sift through conflicting reports to provide citizens with the most accurate, truthful information possible. When a major tragedy such as the Virginia Tech shootings occurs, it is the role of journalists and news organizations to help citizens understand and make meaning of the events taking place in their world.

(1) Steele, Bob. “Worst of times demand the best from journalists.” Poynter Online. 16 April 2007. http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=121526.
(2) Angelotti, Ellyn. “Decision Examined: Poynter discussion of NBC’s use of the killer’s video.” Poynter Online. 20 April 2007. http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=101&aid=121760.