The Boulder Circus

***This post is in response to a question from a journalism professor about whether the attention the JonBenet story receives is warranted***

For years, far too many news resources have been dedicated to this story. Two thoughts about that: one, at a time of crisis oversees that speaks to the sad state of what we will pander to and what our audiences consume. Two, once a story takes a certain prominence, like the Ramsey case has, it will never go away -- except perhaps with a conviction.

When I was here for the initial investigation and then grand jury hearings in the late 90s, I was always torn on this issue. Compared with the Middle East conflict, and the Iraq war, THIS IS NOT news, nor should it be in any normal time. However exciting for the reporter assigned to a story, we should always be asking: is it newsworthy? There are many, many incredible elements to this story -- with so many twists and turns no one could imagine. But does it deserve the prominence it has been given? Absolutely not.

Who does this story effect anyway? The answer would be nobody, if it wasn't so prominent. But here in Boulder, in some way everyone is affected. Most are just repulsed that all the reporters crawling around are putting their town back under an intense spotlight.

The problem here is every little development has been covered intently. Once that happens, the circus taking its three rings elsewhere is unlikely.

In a number of my live shots and Q & As yesterday, I found myself making the point that should the arrest of John Mark Karr ultimately exonerate John Ramsey, this case will surpass the Richard Jewell case and others as a case study in media ethics gone totally wrong (in many ways it already has).

John, and before her death, Patsy, and the rest of the Ramsey family, have been put through the wringer. They were long ago convicted in the court of public opinion despite a good amount of exculpatory evidence. Should they be cleared of the crime, I only hope the way we in the media approach certain stories will change.

From day one, this case should never have received the attention it did. That said, the timing of the murder during a slow news period (Christmas 1996), coupled with the fact JonBenet looked like an angel, changed everything about what would otherwise simply be the murder of a child. What really propelled the initial television coverage, I think, was the fact there was video of her pageants. And once the Denver stations latched on, national followed and never let up.

Here in the parking lot of the Boulder County Courthouse, the 30 satellite trucks and 120 or so reporters who were at yesterday's presser demonstrate this story is not going away. Being caught up reporting the latest, I haven't been able to see much of the on-air coverage, but know it's dominating. It shouldn't, but it is.