MARREN: Only media can create "teachable moment"

By Tim Marren<br><a href="mailto:marrent@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail Tim</a>
Lockport Union-Sun & Journal

May 04, 2008 12:16 am

— Another week in the news business, another week where the media gets attacked for something that’s not its fault. To be honest, I’m getting tired of explaining our job and defending our reporters. But, it comes with the territory.
I joked in the newsroom that it’s politicians, then us in the order of professions that take the heat. We may swap positions from time to time, depending on how the public wind blows.
Whenever something like the alleged assault in Wilson takes place, the media takes a lot of flak. People call for more positive news, rather than reporting on what actually happened in Wilson. It smarts most when you just go about your business, reporting the facts, and some person decides to make a public spectacle of media in the room.
The good people in Wilson are like others who blame the media during times like this. They quickly forget who’s really responsible and the “positive” news we also regularly report. They forget the “Shoreline Byline” column that hits every Monday. They forget the front page story about the Wilson High School production that was in honor of a student who had died. It was, by the way, also the only local high school play or musical that made the front page. There’s the “Wilson Winners,” the students who have done some good recently and are honored by the school in the newspaper.
Don’t forget the kids who are all about green — the Global Warming Awareness Club, which was featured last Saturday in our Pride section.
OK, I’ve given enough examples of the good news this paper carries out in Wilson. When something bad happens, you have to take the bad with the good.
Now, let’s get to specifics. Did anyone hear the incredibly crass and inappropriate comments made by Wilson’s own Doug Edwards of Randall Road? This piece of work had the following statement at Thursday’s meeting with the public at Wilson High School: (... I’m sure some people here) “would want to take some of these reporters to the back of the bus.”
Wow. Nice choice of words, Doug.
When I heard that comment on the radio Friday I nearly choked on my corn flakes. Media bashing aside, in what world is it cool to take what allegedly happened and say that the media should be subjected to the same “alleged” treatment. How do the alleged victims feel about such comments being tossed around as funny or even a threat.
To hear from our reporter that people actually applauded his comments is disgusting. Again, if the people of Wilson want to publicly tar and feather the media at its meeting, that’s fine, but the “take some of these reporters to the back of the bus” comment is pretty sick, if you ask me. Makes you wonder who’s speaking for the people of Wilson and where there priorities are.
Unfortunately for all of us, there were very few productive comments or talk about the victims. It was basically a free-for-all on the media. That’s too bad.
But, there is a silver lining. Some former players stuck up for the program and put the responsibility on the young-adult players. They seemed to be the most level-headed of the bunch, compared to the likes of Edwards.
“We would never allow it to happen,” said Dan Robinson, a 2005 graduate and former baseball player. “This would never happen with responsible young kids.”
Responsible young kids, what a concept.
Thanks to the media, and the wide-sweeping exposure this story has gotten, again — for better or worse — schools across Western New York are taking notice and using this as a “teachable moment.”
Maybe it’s a teachable moment for parents, coaches or administrators. The kids are the obvious recipients, since they will be the ones tasked with making the right decision in the future.
You can thank the media for that.
Managing Editor Tim Marren’s column appears every Sunday. He can be reached at 439-9222, ext. 6238, or marrent@gnnewspaper.com.

Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.