Serial killers and media catch 22

[donttread]

I've recently watched ID's shows about the "Golden State Killer" and the "BTK" . The BTK at least reached out for media attention apparently even after he'd stopped killing. I've long thought that violent , random serial criminals were , in part, attention $#@!s. Now obviously they have a lot more faulty switches than that. But I have long thought that media attention fueled part of what they did.
But to deny them the media attention is to not warn your citizens and to lose big scoop stories. Does anyone else feel that some of them crave the attention? If so how should the media handle these situations? I have no real answer because of the catch 22 but wanted to see what others here thought.

[Peter1469]

Keep the news stories short and to the point to inform the citizens. Don't run stories 24/7.

[Common]

My personal opinion is if you dont give them any attention at all, some will commit more and more brutal and heinous crimes seeking that attention

In the end they are all sick people and the need to kill will keep them plying their disease

[donttread]

Keep the news stories short and to the point to inform the citizens. Don't run stories 24/7.

Excellent point, but once one network kicks it off it's a scramble for viewers. However, if avievable your idea would cut the the heart of the catch 22. Except for the career making and profiteering . But you would think maybe the networks could agree to do as you said.

[Peter1469]

Excellent point, but once one network kicks it off it's a scramble for viewers. However, if avievable your idea would cut the the heart of the catch 22. Except for the career making and profiteering . But you would think maybe the networks could agree to do as you said.

I think networks have agreed to not name mass school shooters any more. So maybe they could do something similar with serial killers.

[donttread]

My personal opinion is if you dont give them any attention at all, some will commit more and more brutal and heinous crimes seeking that attention



In the end they are all sick people and the need to kill will keep them plying their disease

Interesting POV. I just feel like they proliferated with the age of mass media. Although , DNA technology seems to have slowed them down. Of course our fascination creates the demand for media. I think their pathology is so far outside the normal human experience that we are fascinated because we cannot and of course never will be able to understand

[Common]

I think networks have agreed to not name mass school shooters any more. So maybe they could do something similar with serial killers.

I dont think theres a chance in hell for that pete

[Common]

Interesting POV. I just feel like they proliferated with the age of mass media. Although , DNA technology seems to have slowed them down. Of course our fascination creates the demand for media. I think their pathology is so far outside the normal human experience that we are fascinated because we cannot and of course never will be able to understand

Sometimes police ask the media to release prefabbed reports in an attempt to bring them out hoping they make a mistake.

[Ethereal]

I've recently watched ID's shows about the "Golden State Killer" and the "BTK" . The BTK at least reached out for media attention apparently even after he'd stopped killing. I've long thought that violent , random serial criminals were , in part, attention $#@!s. Now obviously they have a lot more faulty switches than that. But I have long thought that media attention fueled part of what they did.
But to deny them the media attention is to not warn your citizens and to lose big scoop stories. Does anyone else feel that some of them crave the attention? If so how should the media handle these situations? I have no real answer because of the catch 22 but wanted to see what others here thought.

I just read a book about BTK written by the local reporters who followed the story. They wrote the book largely from the perspective of the police who investigated BTK. The only reason they were able to capture BTK is BECAUSE of his relationship with the media. And there is not a lot of compelling evidence (in my opinion) that media attention "fuels" these kinds of killers. They are driven by a compulsion to kill, which would exist regardless of media attention. If anything, media attention can sometimes deter them from killing, because it puts the area on high alert and makes the killer second guess himself. So my personal opinion is that media should report on such things in the same way they report on any other matter of public concern: Robustly. Naturally, there is SOME room for cooperation with police in the interests of protecting their investigation, but that is and should be left up to the discretion of the reporters.

[Tahuyaman]

I've recently watched ID's shows about the "Golden State Killer" and the "BTK" . The BTK at least reached out for media attention apparently even after he'd stopped killing. I've long thought that violent , random serial criminals were , in part, attention $#@!s. Now obviously they have a lot more faulty switches than that. But I have long thought that media attention fueled part of what they did.
But to deny them the media attention is to not warn your citizens and to lose big scoop stories. Does anyone else feel that some of them crave the attention? If so how should the media handle these situations? I have no real answer because of the catch 22 but wanted to see what others here thought.

Report them in detail, but don't sensationalize them. Ignoring them or reporting them in a dismissive way is not the right way to deal with these incidents.