Let's say as a General Manager you are faced with a scenario where the owner of your company gets in a little trouble with the law. He or She is arrested. Let's use a driving while intoxicated charge as an example. Do you run that as a news story on your station? Do you consult the owner, who has now become the story, on whether you should run the story? What if your News Director takes a completely opposite position from yours, as the GM? Who makes the call then? It's certainly a sticky situation. So, we asked General Managers and news Directors across the country what the correct answer was. Here's what they had to say.
"Ed, to report it just because he is your station?s owner is not appropriate. I don?t know of any radio station that reports all of the DUI?s from the night before. The owner of a small radio group doesn?t warrant stations to report on it. Trade magazines, yes. If they committed a real crime that would be reported no matter who committed it, then it should be reported."
"Hi Ed. If the owner was from out of town and/or unknown to the average listener I would not run it, especially if there were no injuries or loss of life. If he/she was well-known in our community I would run it....or at least lobby very hard to run it. Without any injuries/loss of life, would probably just run a short reader mid-to-late newscast."
"No, our owner lives in (a different town). Not relevant to local news here. Unless it affected the station of course. If she were local, yes. We have a very small but loyal audience, they expect it. Even if it meant my job."
"I would run the story if I was in Chicago. I think it is only relevant if it means something to our listeners/viewers/readers. It would mean something in the market where the company is based. It?s no different than if the owner of another prominent business in the market were arrested for DUI. We would run it..no different for our own company. With that said, since I don?t own our company if I was told by ownership not to run it, then I wouldn?t."
"I came from a news background, so I would run it. Just the facts, no embellishment. I think it looks MUCH worse not to run the story since all of your competitors, print media, TV and the Internet will all be running the story."
"That?s a double edge sword. If I were news director, I would not run it. However, the competition would obviously get great mileage."
What would you do?
Send comments (in confidence) to edryan@radioink.com and we will post your comments anonymously.
(10/17/2011 5:30:16 AM)
It really depends on the severity of the crime...DUI no. Murder or rape, or robbery, yes. Just as someone else has said, if it is a reportable crime, report it. But don't be surprised if your boss is pissed when he gets out of jail.
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