The difficult task of reporting the truth

BOISE-- The details of the Joseph Duncan case have bothered not only some of our viewers, but the most veteran staffers in our newsroom as well.

We've received several e-mails asking why it's necessary to report this case and its disturbing details.

NewsChannel 7 spoke with a highly recognized expert on journalistic ethics, as well as our news director about the importance of this coverage.

The details of this case are difficult to hear and report, but regardless - it's the public's right to know what's going on in their community.

"The primary obligation for journalists is to seek the truth and report it as fully as possible," said Bob Steele, journalism values scholar at the Poynter Institute in Florida.

Bob Steele has been a resource for journalists across the country since 1989.

"At the same time journalists have an obligation to recognize potential harm that can be caused by using certain types of information," said Steele.

But the harm to viewers he is referring to can't be avoided in every case. In this case, a jury is hearing gruesome details of a grown man who abused a helpless child.

Since it can't be avoided Steele says, minimizing harm should be considered.

KTVB News Group, News Director Jim Gilchriest realizes the importance of balancing the details of the case.

"We're meeting on a regular basis, and we're talking about how much of this information to get out there so it's representative of the story that the jury is getting," said Gilchriest.

"So in a general sense that is the balance. Reporting as much truth as possible, as meaningfully as possible, as professionally, and still minimizing harm through respectful, fair, professional coverage," said Steele.

Gilchriest admits the details of this case presented in the courtroom are horrific.  He adds that KTVB hasn’t reported the most offensive elements in this case, and what is presented on TV is a small portion, but enough to arm viewers with knowledge.

Knowledge, he says, is power.

"We have a duty as journalists to report the news as we see it. And we won't go graphic, and we won't go over the top, but if we ignore the story, as some people suggest we should, and just wait until the jury's decision is in and report that, then the harm that we're doing there is that we're pretending that these kinds of things don't happen and people like Joseph Duncan don't exist," said Gilchriest.

Gilchriest points out this is a significant case for our society.

It’s a capital punishment case, with the outcome being life or death for convicted killer Joseph Duncan.