News as Voyuerism

Analysis:

This story is a very reactionary piece highlighting a potential threat within the community, in this case a repeat sexual offender. The focus is mainly on the victim, a 10 year old girl, whose youth becomes the attention grabber for the story. Note: 4 times in the story the girls’ age is mentioned. The amount of coverage she receives (interviews with relatives, footage of her room, where she lives, etc.) begs the question; what aspects of cases like this does the public actually have a right to know? In addition, the public might benefit greatly from being given information about sex offense crimes rather than interviews of scared victims that have little knowledge. Several local hotlines or counseling services throughout the area mentioned in a broadcast such as this could further aid community awareness on the issue, but none of those resources are provided.

Story:

WZZM 13 News reader – Twice in one week there are reports of a man exposing himself in Holland Township. Last Thursday a 62 year woman says a man was outside her window and early this morning a 10 year old girl was the reported victim.

Reporter – Juliet, the 10 year old child who lives near here says she was awakened early this morning by loud banging on her bedroom window. When she looked outside she saw a man out their touching his genitals and this is very similar to what a 62 year old woman says that happened at her house a week ago, just about a mile from here.

Victim’s father – He was standing right here banging on the window like this.

Reporter – Her father says his 10 year old daughter probably doesn’t really understand what the man was doing when she saw him outside her bedroom window.

Victim’s father – I don’t think she comprehends what’s really going on yet. When she gets a little older I think she will though. She said she just stood like this and looked out and he was standing there.

Reporter – The little girl says the White male was standing outside her window at 5:30 in the morning touching himself.

Friend of family – I don’t think she fully comprehends what happened, or what she saw, but you can tell she has been thinking about it a lot.

Reporter – One week ago there was another indecent exposure report about a mile away here on Butternut Drive. At 4:30 in the morning a 62 year old woman said she heard a noise, looked outside and saw a White male exposing himself.

Friend of family – They have been patrolling this road a lot more I noticed.

Reporter – Police say they are paying special attention to the areas where the lude acts were reported and residents are going door to door alerting neighbors.

Victim’s father – If he can be doing that, then tomorrow he could kidnap a kid or something.

Reporter – The 62 year old woman could only tell police the man she saw was White, but the 10 year old girl describes him as a younger man with spikey blonde hair, a moustache, maybe a goatee, average height and weight.

Total Time: 2 minutes