Haiti Coverage

What does everyone think of the Haiti coverage? I have seen a lot of editorials saying line between "covering the story" and "I am the story" has been crossed a bunch.

Have you guys been using much of Haiti in your shows? Maybe in the first week and now it's tapering off?

I meant to mention this early on, but maybe you do this already. On any big national or international story, it's always handy to do websearches to check for local ties. It might be as broad as "your state/city + Haiti..." just to see what pops up. Also, remember your local Universities. You'd be amazed. There always seems to be a language program or perhaps local students studying in the region that's impacted. In the case of Haiti, there were lots of U.S. aid (including local church) groups. Check with your local Red Cross, Salvation Army, Catholic Charities. Don't forget local businesses that might import/export/have-some-kind-of-tie there. Or maybe someone from your area who's set up a business in the city that's been hit (like a hotel or restaurant). If your region contains a military facility, definitely check in with them.

All of this can make your coverage more local and relevant. Maybe you can arrange a trip with a group that's going? Or at least--maybe you give them a cheap disposable camera or a Flip camera and have them take pics. They can send them back during the trip if there's internet or you could just do a story once they get back. Even if it's only for the web, it adds a layer to your coverage and could be a really compelling first person account.

Finally, don't forget about using Skype. It's become more popular and you can search users by place. You might be able to set up interesting interviews with local people who are in the impacted area.

Golden Rule

There's a lot of gruesome video coming out of Haiti. Understand, just because you have the video, doesn't mean you have to use it. You will never lose a night of sleep because you did not air something. When faced with the "should I run it or not" question, ask yourself this-- "If this involved someone I knew, how would I react?" Balance this with, "What do we lose and what do our viewers lose by not seeing this? Will they still understand the story and get the same impact?" The right decision is the one you go home feeling good about. The wrong one is the one you still question yourself about years later.

If you decide to use something graphic, please warn viewers. Consider putting it on show when kids might not be up. And NEVER and I mean NEVER use graphic video as wallpaper or in teases.

Quick Snapshot on Haiti Prior to Quake

PBS aired this on Monday. Thought since we're all doing a lot of Haiti coverage, worth checking it out: