On sensitive topics, how do we decide what to print?

We heard this week from two grieving families. Both had lost loved ones in unexpected ways, and nothing we say here can explain that or ease the hurt that comes with those tragedies.

But we do want to take a moment to explain how certain decisions were made, because it was a question both asked, for different reasons.

In one case, the family wanted us to look more closely at their loss. In the other, the family wanted nothing more to be said, and was upset about what already has been reported.

We weren’t able to give either family the answers they wanted.

It isn’t because we are unfeeling to the pain they are suffering. We wish there was more we could do in both cases to offer comfort beyond a sincere, but ineffective, “We’re sorry this happened to you and your family.”

Ultimately this is a complex process and there is no one-size-fits-all answer to give these families, or the ones we will unfortunately talk to next.

The primary reasons our coverage decisions, in any situation, are made would be to shed light on what is happening in our communities, provide perspective and help make sense of what has happened.

Another unfortunate reality when making coverage decisions comes down to resources. We’re often asked why we don’t do more and that comes down to simply, if every member of our staff focused only on crime, we still could not cover everything. Our extended crime coverage typically focuses on felony and violent crimes for this reason.

We want to address first why we might not report on a death. In cases of a death that occurs in a private home, including suicide, we do not typically report the details. Situations that might change that would include if law enforcement begins an investigation into suspicious circumstances, if there is an ongoing threat to public safety, or if the individual involved is a public figure in some way.

Suspicious circumstances are the reason we most often report on a death, and it was what brought the second family to us.

That family has asked us to run a letter to the editor (included today), which is why we want to speak more directly to the circumstances involved.

We understand the pain this loss causes, because we aren’t just a business. We are made up of individuals with families and as individuals, we have experienced tragedy. We have lost loved ones unexpectedly, and under the most terrible of circumstances.

Just as we know the feeling of loss, we know these words offer no comfort to the family.

Our decisions to publish about a death once law enforcement is involved, and particularly once charges have been filed, have many reasons.

In the cases of major crimes, we try to follow cases through to their conclusion. This is a very important commitment, and it is not about selling papers.

These individuals may be found innocent in court, charges may be dropped or suspects may be exonerated. It is our responsibility when we publish someone’s name to give them the fairest coverage possible, and that includes following these cases through to their conclusion.

This coverage also holds those involved in the process accountable.

We again want to stress our decisions are made with the community in mind, and we do our best to also keep the families of those involved in mind when planning our coverage.

The newspaper is a major part of the community and we believe strongly in being a responsible member of that community. Our final decisions sometimes aren’t popular, but we promise all decisions will be made in a fair, professional and responsible manner.