“What’s Wrong with ‘To Catch a Predator’?” – Some say journalists and cops working together blur the lines of ethics.
The point of argument in this article is the fact that journalists are working side by side with police forces, and their jobs are intermixing with each other, sparking a conflict with the ethics of journalism.
NBC’s “Dateline” series launched the investigation that seeks out online sexual predators, and arrests them. In the series, Journalist Chris Hansen and his camera crew stay behind the scenes until the predator is lured in by an offer from an underage teen online. Upon arrival, the predator is greeted by Hansen and his camera crew, and ultimately, a police squad is there for his arrest.
The show has proved successful. However, after an article published in Esquire magazine about the series, it has become a case study for journalists. It depicts how difficult it can be for journalists and investigators to work together with such a controversial matter because both groups are operating off of different goals and values.
It ultimately comes down to the lines of the jobs of the journalists and cops being blurred together. Esquire magazine said that it “makes it appear almost impossible for the journalists, the citizens, and the cops to stay true to their own goals and not to assume the work of the other.”
Some argue that the Dateline NBC production relies on the cops to draw their guns and tackle the predators in the end in order to capture dramatic video.
I am a fan of the show, but I had never thought of “To Catch a Predator” as taking advantage of the police force to profit for exciting, evening television progamming. I feel that journalist Chris Hansen and his crew do violate the journalistic code of ethics in a way. It is not a journalist’s job to take the law into his or her own hands, especially when the police are already involved in the situation. It makes me re-evaluate what the show is actually trying to accomplish – telling a story or trying to take down sexual predators. I would think that a journalist’s number one job is telling the story, and that it is the police’s job to “clean up the city” and keep things safe.
Either way, I feel it is definitely a thought-provoker.
New York Times
Poynter Online
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
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12 comments:
I have always thought that in order for a journalist to be recognizeable that they must sometimes take a case into their own hands and do a little investigating themselves. I do not believe that Hansen is trying to make a profit by working with the police. He always tells a story with every story on the show and tries to make a difference in the lives of many by helping stop a crime that could/will effect lives forever. Overall, it's a good show with a good overall premise. I think people are reading way too much into this situation.
With the topic of sexual predators..i don't think that the journalists are doing anything wrong. they are just using the police as an authority figure to get the message out to predators that there are ways for them to be caught. journalist can investigate their story..it's their research!i do not think they are violating any codes of ethics by getting the authorities involved, any way to catch sexual predators is ok in my book..
I dont see anything wrong with the show at all. It is a journalists' job to inform the public and that is what "To catch a predator does," it informs the public of this online penomenom that is occuring.
I think that journalists can be viable in cases like these to go out and be the eyes that the police don't have. They are able to uncover things that the police squads have missed or are keeping private. This poses as a problem when journalists get in the way of the law enforcement or they act as a person of higher authority. They are not trained professionals, crime solvers, or paid to do police investigations. On the flip side, the journalists have a job to do also and police should not get in their way of doing that. This is where the line blurs and problems can occur.
This really is an interesting case and it opens up a debate with more far reaching consequences than simply catching a pedo. It's not a journalist's job to catch criminals. Last I checked, it wasn't part of the job description to make an active pursuit in the closure of a case, only to report that a crime happened and the result of that crime and what happened to the people involved. Would it be the same thing if a journalist tried to lure druggies with a deal that ended up in a bust? It's a reporter's job to report a story, not be the story.
As an aside with nothing to do of how journalists should do their job, I'd support anything to take down criminals. I just think that a clear line has to be drawn somewhere.
I feel that there is nothing wrong with the show. I think that it is great how we are catching these sick individuals. It is the job of journalists to expose the truth for what it is and in this case Hansen is helping to expose the millions of sexual preditors out there trying to corrupt these young clueless girls. Even though it is looked at by many as not ethical I feel that Hanson is doing the world a favor my shining light on what is really going on in this age of constant internet use. It is not only just catching these predators but it also showing people that they really need to monitor what their children are doing on the internet. Yes, the show is entertaining in the sense of the chase. However it is a really serious issue that could mean life or death for an innocent child. I applaud Hanson for being so bold as to do a show like this because I feel that many journalists would be to afraid of critisism among the journalist community to even dare pull anything like this.
I have watched "To catch a predator" and I am a big fan. I have never felt that either one of the people involved were stepping on each others feet or that it is unethical in any way. I did not understand the argument of this post. The show is very important and Chris Hansen is doing a great job at letting the world see the faces of people who violate or attempt to violate children. As adults we cannot live in denile and it's important to know those people are being arrested so they can't hurt anymore people. We also have to keep in mind that it is American television and when it comes to getting viewers they do whatever they can. Even if that means their job titles are a little blurry.
I think that with the case of "To Catch a Predator" it is basically just a reality show. Chris Hansen plays host who continually draws out the program by saying things like "You'll never believe what this guy does for a living" and saving that guy for the end or something.
However, I do think that it is a little morally uncorrect. I mean, yes these guys have talked innapropriately to these "young" girls and showed up at a house, but they haven't really DONE anything yet. I am by no means condoning this behavior, I just think that there is no reason for a journalist to really get involved, especially in the way that this show does it. I think it's great they're trying to prevent kids from being molested, but they've turned it into just another form of reality TV, which I think is a little unfair and not ethically correct.
I never watched the show before, but I agree that Chris Hasnsen and his crew are not violating the code of ethnics. I think the show is killing two birds with one stone. The journalist is telling the story, and the police officers’ are arresting the sexual predators. I don't see anything wrong with the show.
I don't believe that journalist are blurring the line between their jobs and law enforcement. Journalist do what Chris Hansen does everyday when they write stories. These people are criminals and their intents are to harm children as a journalist writing an article would it be unethical to expose these people. So why is it unethical because he works with law enforcement.
I wouldn't say that the journalist is taking the job of the police into his own hands. I would say that he is investigating the stories of the predators for a case study or psychological use. The entertainment portion that comes with watching the show is in our heads, the viewers. The police and the journalists are maintaining their credibility. You don't see them winning awards for the show or getting celebrity treatment; they do it because it is morally right and is saving children's lives.
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