Earlier today, the 911 tapes were released from the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that took place December 14, 2012 in Newtown, Conn. The release of the tapes comes after a November 30 court ruling precipitated by a lawsuit filed by the Associated Press to give media access to the tapes. As Katherine Fung reported on The Huffington Post, some responses to the ruling were harsh. Rachel Maddow, host of MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show,” questioned the value of releasing the tapes and the potentially irresponsible airing of their contents. “Is the content of those tapes … going to increase public understanding of this incident so much that it outweighs the offense to morality and decency of putting them on display?” she asked. Kathleen Carroll, AP executive editor and senior vice president, acknowledged that people might have strong feelings about the release of the tapes. But, she said, “It’s important to remember, though, that 911 tapes, like other police documents, are public records. Reviewing them is a part of normal newsgathering in a responsible news organization.”
NBC News president Deborah Turness discussed the responsibilities that news organizations like NBC News must bear when deciding how to use the tapes. In a memo obtained by The Huffington Post, Turness wrote:
The families of the victims of the Newtown shootings made it public that they did not want the 911 tapes to be released. Unless there is any compelling editorial reason to play the tapes, I would like to respect their wishes. We must listen to the tapes when they are released and make our final decision. But for the avoidance of doubt, no NBC News network outlet online or on TV should use the tapes until that decision has been taken. Using the tapes could cause distress and we must therefore proceed with great sensitivity and respect, particularly as the first anniversary of the shootings approaches.
Broadcast news outlets who have the ability to air the tapes must wrestle with a number of morally complex issues. At the center of them are balancing respect for victims’ families and getting access to public information as part of journalistic due diligence. Although some might question AP’s decision to force the release of the tapes to begin with, it is reassuring to see that media professionals recognize a moral balancing act when they see one. What do you think?
Sources: Associated Press, Huffingtonpost.com
Update (December 5, 2013): Maddow took to the air again last night, criticizing FOX News, CNN and CBS for airing portions of the tapes, as reported today on The Huffington Post.
Media Ethics Report 
Yes, the tapes may be part of the public record. And yes, it’s probably worth having someone review them for anything that might actually be newsworthy. But actually airing them (unless something newsworthy was found – perhaps warning was given half an hour earlier than reported and the police failed to respond – that would be relevant to the story) is no different than showing body bags or a mangled car wreck. It satisfies the ghoulish hunger of the audience but doesn’t add anything to the news value.
I think Don Henley wrote a song about essentially this, several years ago – “Dirty Laundry”.
“We got the bubble-headed-bleach-blonde who
Comes on at five
She can tell you ’bout the plane crash with a gleam
In her eye
It’s interesting when people die-
Give us dirty laundry”
and more appropriately…:
“We can do “The Innuendo”
We can dance and sing
When it’s said and done we haven’t told you a thing
We all know that Crap is King
Give us dirty laundry!”