I was recently upset by a poster I saw.
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The news headline to which I am referring was the one entitled: “How I raped and killed a toddler” (I believe the title was more or less those words) and, to be honest, the headline upset me so much that I couldn’t tell you which media house published it.
My complaint is this:
I make a conscious decision not to read newspapers, magazines, watch the news or listen to news on the radio, not because I am trying to convince myself that horrific things don’t exist in the world, but because I know they’re there and I don’t want to have it thrown in my face at every opportunity.
The disturbing nature of some of the stories reported not only upsets me for weeks at a time, but results – I am sure – in secondary traumatic stress not only for myself, but for many people out there.
I believe that it is incumbent upon media houses to censor the news headlines which are posted everywhere, in full view of the public.
Whatever stories are written in the papers and magazines etc., is the business of that media house, if people want to read about it they are welcome to purchase that edition.
I don’t believe that it is right, however, that people who choose not to follow these terrible stories are almost forced to see them along every light post when driving down the road.
I also don’t believe it is responsible reporting to place these headlines in full view of young children who can read.
My daughter is six and is learning to read now.
She is still too young (and will be for many years, even when she is capable of reading properly) to be exposed to dreadful, traumatic stories of this nature and I shouldn’t have to explain it to her because someone has posted it up to boost newspaper sales.
News headlines on politics, sports, financial issues etc., are fine, but can we, the public, at least expect that gruesome stories involving killings, physical and sexual abuse of children, animals and people in general (which are not suitable for children and certainly not for sensitive people) be kept out of the headlines at least?
I hope my comments have been taken to heart.
Our children are exposed to enough unpleasantness, let’s not exacerbate that with every unspeakable news headline that pops up.
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