The Ethics of Reporting on the Quran Burning

Pastor Terry Jones

Pastor Terry Jones is getting a lot of criticism for his plan to burn the Quran on Saturday, but so is the media for giving him so much attention. A media ethics expert says journalists need to cover this story, but with restraint.

The media can’t ignore this story, says Kelly McBride, who teaches and writes about ethics at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg.

But the media has a responsibility to cover the story right, she says. That means putting the story in context; covering the community’s reaction, not just the fanatic; and not showing images that inflame people.

“Given the reaction to this planned event, I think the media faces a great deal of criticism if they don’t stick with journalistic purpose, and if they go for the sensationalistic, visual story,” she said.

She cites the Associated Press as an example of what media organizations might do. AP will cover Saturday’s event, but the world’s largest news-gathering organization is refusing to distribute images or audio of any actual Quran burning.

McBride says she’s been inundated with phone calls since she wrote a column, “How to Report on Quran Burning and Other Hate Speech.”

She says the Gainesville event reminds her of her time covering the Aryan Nation in the West. She predicted Jones’ group might fall apart under the same financial pressures that eventually caused the Aryan Nation to disintegrate.

Click Here to listen to the more of the interview with McBride over media ethics and the Quran burning.