How the media shouldn't cover a mass murder

A look at the "Batman killer" front pages.

By Helen Lewis Published 21 July 2012 9:20

Every time there's a mass shooting, I remember this piece of footage from Charlie Brooker's BBC series Newswipe. In it, a forensic psychiatrist outlines the guidelines for news reporting of such a tragedy, assuming that your aim is to prevent further ones.

 

He says:

If you don't want to propagate more mass murders...
Don't start the story with sirens blaring.
Don't have photographs of the killer.
Don't make this 24/7 coverage.
Do everything you can not to make the body count the lead story.
Not to make the killer some kind of anti-hero.
Do localise this story to the affected community and as boring as possible in every other market.

Here are this morning's front pages. Judge for yourself who has done a good job of heeding that advice, and who hasn't.  See More Newspaper Front Pages