Should CNN and MSNBC Have Interviewed Kids Who Survived the Shooting?

Cable networks under fire

Cable networks have come under fire for interviewing elementary school students who survived the mass shooting their school in Newtown, Connecticut. Ordinary Americans took to Twitter to express their outrage:

"Interviewing kids? Disgusting the level you have stooped," tweeted "Scott" in reply to Katie Couric's announcement that she'd traveled to CT to speak with Sandy Hook students.

"Wolf Blitzer justifies interviewing children by saying their parents are present. Then shame on their parents as well as the reporters," lamented Twitter user Quinn Clark.

CNN's Anderson Cooper took the moral high ground: "In answer to your tweets, no, Of course I will not be interviewing children from the school. I do not think that is appropriate at this time."

Of course, some stories would not become known without hearing from the kids involved. One 8-year-old boy told CBS that his life was saved by a teacher who pulled him away from the gunshots and into an empty classroom.

Poynter's guidelines for interviewing children tells reporters to "minimize harm" and to ask themselves whether questioning a child will cause any harm that could be avoided.

Via Twitter.

Is it OK for cable networks to interview elementary school students who survived the shooting?

[texas_cutie75]

Words can not describe how inappropriate that is! Talking to a grief counselor, absolutely!! A reporter, shame on y'all!!

[CanisCanemEdit]

CNN has dropped in credibility and intelligence in my opinion.

[FollowTheMoney]

@CanisCanemEdit CNN is entertainment period. They, and anything else on TV, have no credibility to start with. It's entertainment meant to make money. The Media and the parents of this punk are largely responsible for this tragedy.

[thejimbo]

@FollowTheMoney I agree, the lamestream news media has ZERO credibility to start with, they're in the negative thousands by now...smh

[stepped_in_it]

CNN....MSNBC....etc. Are YOUR ratings that important to stoop this low? HMMM, makes me think you scums would interview the guy who murdered your wife/Mother/kids, just for the ratings! Keep guns, outlaw TV

[ST_Louie_Sue]

Thank you. What a bunch of sick b@st@rds to do this to kids. Outlaw all the alphabet news (loosely used) stations.

[Fishbone345]

Neither of you understand child psychology really well, its obvious. You are just sticking to your usual partisan outlook on things. No surprise there.

[Calfkiller]

@Fishbone345 What the hell are you talking about? Child Psychology? No seriously please explain. All I see is your standard response, partisanship. How does Child Psychology have anything to do with this BS. I would like to see one intelligent response out of you without referencing partisanship. It doesn't validate your arguments.

[Fishbone345]

@Calfkiller Ok, here ya go. A link to someone who actually got it.
http://politix.topix.com/stmt/CJG6B46J83LLI5T...
That good enough? Or do you require further explanation about how posting partisan comments on stations without understanding what actually was happening, is in and of itself partisan.
"I would like to see one intelligent response out of you without referencing partisanship."
And I'd like to see one response out of you without insulting people, I guess we both have high hopes huh?

[stepped_in_it]

@Fishbone345 So we play Russian roulette with the kids. Interview one....ok, good. Interview another.....opps, she has a breakdown! HMM, good ratings there, look at her cry! Poor baby! And by the way, partisanship? I equally pick on ALL you libs and Conserves.... it's just so easy....bahaha

[bsking]

it depends on the kids. kids handle traumatic events in different ways. look at the picture of them two by two walking to the firehouse, kid in the front is crying her eyes out wow a kid in the back to smiling like it's Christmas morning.
and talking about it might help some of the kids long as they weren't by themselves , and were with the parents..

[dances-weebles]

wow, that's amazing. i agree with you on something.

it depends on the kid.

i do have to agree with the fact that ratings just aren't all that important. i, personally, don't really care all that much which news programme is the 'best'.

[bsking]

@dances-weebles I agree. I cant believe the story dudnt mention fox..they did the same thing as the rest...

[UnCommonBoston]

Interview the adults! There were teachers and other grownups there as well. Some of the children may have information that could help law enforcement better understand what happened. In my mind, that is all that is appropriate.

[2b1ask1]

The MSM goes by the philosophy of "Never let a good tragedy go to waste"

[dances-weebles]

msm? cool

[Sonny]

I think they are just trying to do their jobs and report the news. But I don't think they should have interviewed the children to do that.

[bobrob]

Anything for a good story. Leave the kids out of it.They have had enough trauma.

[Denizen_Kate]

And yet for some, immediately expressing thoughts and feelings can actually relieve the stress of trauma. It's different for everyone, and I agree the news media should not be the ones getting these children to talk, but opening up and talking about it over and over can help tremendously.

[ashgreen]

@Denizen_Kate But perhaps a more appropriate outlet for that need is a Psychologist, not national television.

[Denizen_Kate]

@ashgreen - Agreed. And they should be encouraged to talk to their parents.

[FFX_VA]

Did you really expect MSNBC or CNN to show respect and act out of sympathy for the families? They both act out of self interest, anything for ratings. This is their way and why I don't watch their news.

[Cheenoguy]

From what one of the hardcore republicans said FOX was doing the same thing do I hope you won't be watching them either.

[Sonny]

Yeah, Cheenoguy is right...Fox did the same thing so I hope you find the time to denounce them as well.

[FFX_VA]

@Cheenoguy Nope, won't be... guess if I had watched I would have known to add them to the list. Which FOX person did that?

[Cheenoguy]

@FFX_VA
I am basing that statement of what BSKing said, who as you are no doubt aware, is as big a FOX fan as they come.

[FFX_VA]

I need to add Anderson Cooper absolutely did the right thing, Wolf Blitzer has a twisted viewpoint, my friend works his show, on air and off air he is different. If it will boost ratings he's all over it and to hell with values & respect. I don't watch his show either.

[DogLady_1]

I had to turn the channel when they began interviewing children... and they did this even after their own experts was telling parents to keep their kids away from the media... Leave the kids alone! haven't they been through enough??? geez!

[ACTSmom]

I turned the TV off when they started bringing the kids on. Even with the parents at their side, something didn't seem right about it and they certainly couldn't fully comprehend all that was going on...even we have a hard time with that.

[DogLady_1]

@ACTSmom - Yeah, the networks had a hard time filling in 20hours of coverage when information was lacking so they reached as low as they could go just for new material. I think their actions were egregious... and the parents need to watch out coz now that they are known to talk, the kids will be hounded for the next several weeks... I bet some of those children will be seen on the morning talk shows. Parents using their kids to garner attention for themselves, IMO.

[ACTSmom]

CNN made it clear that the interviews of the kids was done with a parent present and with their permission. Yes, media is going for the drama in all directions, but it was the parents' decision to allow it.

[Fishbone345]

THANK YOU. Blows my mind how people immediately start blaming a source that couldn't have done what it did without parental permission. Put blame where blame is due.

[jamie91]

@Fishbone345 absolutely! Parents getting their kids their 15 minutes of fame off the death of their classmates. Disgusting.

[Denizen_Kate]

@Fishbone345 - IMO the media wouldn't do such a thing if they didn't think the public wanted to see it. We've become sensation whores in this country, proof being the overwhelming popularity of reality TV.

[marine1]

@Denizen_Kate I think it has to do with the morals of our society or more accurately, the lack there of. Principle and the acceptance of right or wrong has been so poluted that personal behaviour has few restrictions.

[FollowTheMoney]

The Media needs to back off and stop making sensationalized stories out of these tragedies. The nut jobs committing these horrendous crimes are getting the idea from the media coverage.

[Thunderchicken]

The media is after ratings and will use any tactic that they think will work. Personally I'd rather have a story delayed and checked than the shoot from the hip reporting we have.

Early in the tragedy it was reported that the killer killed his father and that his girlfriend and another friend were missing. Then that aspect was no longer being reported. No explanation as to why. That aspect just vanished. Journalism in this society is just horrible.

[ctc]

Weren't they offered some candy??
Of course this is sleazy journalism........at this age these kids are fascinated by the media......as they mature a little they will realize they were used.......big time.

[classychazy]

These children were just put through a major trauma that really has not hit home yet. These parents allowing this to happen need their heads examined, because they are supposed to protect their children from being exploited in this manner and in my opinion that's exactly what happened.

[jmann88]

Very wrong to interview these kids. They might of witness their best friends murdered. These little kids are probably tramatized and the last thing that they want is microphone shoved in their face. Ask a adult not a little kid.

America is getting more evil every day and this massacre proves that

[MarkJM]

Why am I not surprised that CNN and MSNBC would stoop to this low of a standard. Let those Children mourn. I say boycott both networks.

[Denizen_Kate]

Fox did it, too. I don't know why this article doesn't mention that.

[MarkJM]

@Denizen_Kate You're right, they are equally as low for it.

[PortiaChalifou]

A trauma researcher pointed out that asking people to re-tell about an experienced traumatic event may in itself be harmful, and so in clinical research, it is given special consideration with trauma victims. There are tight controls around questioning people to remember and share their traumatic experiences.

Media have no such ethics in interviewing story subjects. However, I think in consideration of this known potential retraumatization and the fact that these are minors who are incapable of giving informed consent to be interviewed, that the media should refrain from interviewing victims of trauma who are minors.

[Fishbone345]

The usual statements are being said, big surprise. Partisan comments abound.
Parental permission had to be attained. You didn't see the stations holding the children hostage in front of camera's, the idea is ludicrous at best.
Put blame where blame is due if it pisses you off so badly. Squarely on the shoulder of the parents.

[Calfkiller]

Sounds more like two news agencies desperate for ratings. You know that they had permission from the parents? Or are you actually defending them? I didn't see Fox talking to children who were lucky to be alive.

[Food4thoughts]

@Calfkiller
I've been watching Fox News yesterday and today (I'm open to other's perspective and try to learn from it when forming my own opinion) and frankly I'm shocked at the lack of coverage.

[Fishbone345]

@Calfkiller I'll forgive your lack of knowledge on the subject at hand.
If you saw interviews with children? The parents permission was attained. Stations are not allowed by law to put things on television without it. Nice try.

[Fishbone345]

@Calfkiller "Or are you actually defending them?"
I'm not defending anyone. I'm severely disappointed in the parents of the children. I would have taken my child home and smothered them with affection the entire night and decided with my better half what to do about psychological effects. If you don't understand that, then perhaps you aren't a parent.
"I didn't see Fox talking to children who were lucky to be alive."
And? Personally I don't watch any of those sources. I get my news from the internet like those of us that are technological savvy and not reliant upon being fed news. I couldn't care less what Fox showed and didn't show. The parents of the children are to blame here. Period.