Media Headlines
I’ve been realy frustrated by the headlines accompanying a news story in Bristol at the moment.
See BBC News and the Evening Post
This is what I wrote to the BBC (and something similar to the Post). Am I being too tetchy, or are they really defaming my profession?
I’m dismaid that the statement of ‘church volunteer’ in the headline of your article about Owen Baxter is not explained in the article.
Is it of relevance that Baxter was a church volunteer? It is possible that Baxter gained access to his victims by abusing his position of power as a volunteer. But your article does not comment on the relevance of his volunteer position to the offences. If it is of relevance, then perhaps reporting on the process by which power was misused might serve some purpose in protecting children in the future.
As it stands the addition of ‘church volunteer’ in your headline only serves to cast suspition on a great force for good.
The church (of all shapes and sizes) employs more youth workers than any other organisation, supporting and accompanying young people who are portrayed negatively by the media in 75% of column inches. Please don’t undermine this good work with unexplained sensationalist headlines.
Yours in frustration!
David Jeanneret
a church Youth Worker
Filed under: Youth Work on February 9th, 2010 | 2 Comments »
