Journal of Global Communication
Year : 2017, Volume : 10, Issue : 1
First page : ( 1) Last page : ( 9)
Print ISSN : 0974-0600. Online ISSN : 0976-2442.
Article DOI : 10.5958/0976-2442.2017.00001.5

Dial H for Hatred: Did Independent Conclude Too Soon It Is Hate Crime?

Mazumdar Abhijit

Graduate Teaching Associate, College of Communication and Information, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN-37996, USA. E-mail: abhijit.mazumdar7@gmail.com

Online published on 22 May, 2017.

Abstract

There has been an increase in the number of hate crimes committed across the world. While reporting on such crimes, journalists have to decide on the basis of available information from official sources whether it is a hate crime. This research paper compares the coverage of a hate crime committed in the U.S. on the online sites of two media outlets-Independent and CBS News-using the theoretical framework of ethics. It brings out the difference in the way the incident was reported in the two media outlets and issues related to ethics coming out of the reporting. The Independent called it a hate crime and mentioned even the religion of the victims in the headline, while CBS News reported it as murder and not a hate crime. The author offers guidelines on reporting on hate crimes to be added to the Society of Professional Journalists list of guidelines for journalists.

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Keywords

North Carolina shooting, Hate crime, Media, Independent, CBS News, Ethics.

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