Guidelines For 'Taking It Live'

29/03/22, 18:55 Guidelines for 'Taking it Live' - Poynter
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Guidelines for ‘Taking it Live’
By: Al Tompkins
August 25, 2002


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Incidents like the shooting in Pittsburgh today remind journalists

about the need to have guidelines about how and when to cover
stories live. The Poynter Institute’s Al Tompkins and Bob Steele offer
some guidelines for live coverage and coverage of stories that involve
hostages and police standoffs.
By AL TOMPKINS
Broadcast/Online Group Leader
https://www.poynter.org/archive/2002/guidelines-for-taking-it-live/ 1/16
Broadcast, cable, online, and network outlets have a unique ability

and opportunity to provide viewers and listeners with vital news
information instantly. Journalists have a special responsibility in
such situations to be accurate and to be measured in the tone of their
coverage. A good guideline in such situations is to “overreact in the
newsroom and under-react on the air.”
Questions before you go live
Beyond competitive factors, what are your motivations for “going

live?” Why do your viewers need to know about this story before
journalists have the opportunity to edit, question or filter the
information off the air? What truth testing are you willing to give up
in order to speed information to the viewer?
How does the journalist know that the information they have is
true? How many sources have confirmed the information? How does
the source know what they say they know to be true? What this
source’s past reliability? How willing is the source to be quoted?
What are the consequences short-term and long-term of going on

the air with the information? What are the consequences of waiting
for additional confirmation or for a regular newscast?
Are you prepared to air the worst possible outcome that could
result from this unfolding story? (such as a person killing himself or
someone else live on TV) What outcomes are you not willing to air?
Why? How do you know the worst possible outcome will not occur?
What is the tone of the coverage? How can the journalist raise
viewer awareness of a significant event while minimizing hype and
fear? Who in your newsroom is responsible for monitoring the tone of

what is being broadcast?
What electronic safety net has your station considered that could
minimize harm, such as a tape and signal delay, that could give you
time to dump out of live coverage if the situation turns graphic,
violent or compromises the safety of others?
How clearly does the technical crew at your TV station understand

the newsrooms’ standard for graphic content? How well are guidelines
understood by directors, tape editors, live shot techs,
photojournalists, pilots, or engineers who might have to make an
editorial call when the news director or other “formal decision-
maker” is not available?
What factor does the time of day play in your decision to cover a
breaking event? For example, if the event occurs when children
normally are watching television, how does that fact alter the tone
and degree of your coverage?

Guidelines for Covering Hostage-Taking Crises,
Police Raids, Prison Uprisings, Terrorist Actions
By BOB STEELE
Senior Faculty & Ethics Group Leader
In covering an ongoing crisis situation, journalists are advised to:
Always assume that the hostage taker, gunman or terrorist has

access to the reporting.
Avoid describing with words or showing with still photography

and video any information that could divulge the tactics or positions
of SWAT team members.
Fight the urge to become a player in any standoff, hostage

situation or terrorist incident. Journalists should become personally
involved only as a last resort and with the explicit approval of top
news management and the consultation of trained hostage
negotiators on the scene.
Be forthright with viewers, listeners or readers about why certain

information is being withheld if security reasons are involved.
Seriously weigh the benefits to the public of what information

might be given out versus what potential harm that information
might cause. This is especially important in live reporting of an
ongoing situation.
Strongly resist the temptation to telephone a gunman or hostage

taker. Journalists generally are not trained in negotiation techniques,
and one wrong question or inappropriate word could jeopardize
someone’s life. Furthermore, just calling in could tie up phone lines or
otherwise complicate communication efforts of the negotiators.
Notify authorities immediately if a hostage taker or terrorist calls

the newsroom. Also, have a plan ready for how to respond.
Challenge any gut reaction to “go live” from the scene of a hostage-
taking crisis, unless there are strong journalistic reasons for a live,
on-the-scene report. Things can go wrong very quickly in a live report,
endangering lives or damaging negotiations. Furthermore, ask if the
value of a live, on-the-scene report is really justifiable compared to

the harm that could occur.
Give no information, factual or speculative, about a hostage

taker’s mental condition, state of mind or reasons for actions while a
standoff is in progress. The value of such information to the audience
is limited, and the possibility of such characterizations exacerbating
an already dangerous situation are quite real.
Give no analyses or comments on a hostage taker’s or terrorist’s

demands. As bizarre or ridiculous (or even legitimate) as such
demands may be, it is important that negotiators take all demands
seriously.
Keep news helicopters out of the area where the standoff is

happening, as their noise can create communication problems for
negotiators and their presence could scare a gunman to deadly action.
Do not report information obtained from police scanners. If law

enforcement personnel and negotiators are compromised in their
communications, their attempts to resolve a crisis are greatly
complicated.
Be very cautious in any reporting on the medical condition of

hostages until after a crisis is concluded. Also, be cautious when
interviewing hostages or released hostages while a crisis continues.
Exercise care when interviewing family members or friends of those

involved in standoff situations. Make sure the interview legitimately
advances the story for the public and is not simply conducted for the
shock value of the emotions conveyed or as a conduit for the
interviewee to transmit messages to specific individuals.
Go beyond the basic story of the hostage taking or standoff to

report on the larger issues behind the story, be it the how and why of
what happened, reports on the preparation and execution of the

SWAT team, or the issues related to the incident.
In covering a pending raid or law enforcement action, journalists are

advised to:
Be extremely cautious to not compromise the secrecy of officials’

planning and execution. If staking out a location where a raid will
occur or if accompanying officers, reporters and photographers
should demonstrate great caution in how they act, where they go, and
what clues they might inadvertently give that might compromise the
execution of the raid. They should check and double-check planning
efforts.
Support high-integrity, independent journalism that serves

democracy. Make a gift to Poynter today. The Poynter Institute is a
nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, and your gift helps us make
good journalism better.
DONATE
Al Tompkins
Al Tompkins is one of America's most requested broadcast journalism and multimedia
teachers and coaches. After nearly 30 years working as a reporter, photojournalist,
producer,…
Al Tompkins
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29/03/22, 18:55 Guidelines for 'Taking it Live' - Poynter

COVID-19: Poynter Resources

Guidelines for ‘Taking it Live’

August 25, 2002

Incidents like the shooting in Pittsburgh today remind journalists

Broadcast/Online Group Leader

Broadcast, cable, online, and network outlets have a unique ability

Questions before you go live

Beyond competitive factors, what are your motivations for “going

What are the consequences short-term and long-term of going on

fear? Who in your newsroom is responsible for monitoring the tone of

How clearly does the technical crew at your TV station understand

Guidelines for Covering Hostage-Taking Crises,

Police Raids, Prison Uprisings, Terrorist Actions

Senior Faculty & Ethics Group Leader

In covering an ongoing crisis situation, journalists are advised to:

Always assume that the hostage taker, gunman or terrorist has

Avoid describing with words or showing with still photography

Fight the urge to become a player in any standoff, hostage

Be forthright with viewers, listeners or readers about why certain

Seriously weigh the benefits to the public of what information

Strongly resist the temptation to telephone a gunman or hostage

Notify authorities immediately if a hostage taker or terrorist calls

value of a live, on-the-scene report is really justifiable compared to

Give no information, factual or speculative, about a hostage

Give no analyses or comments on a hostage taker’s or terrorist’s

Keep news helicopters out of the area where the standoff is

Do not report information obtained from police scanners. If law

Be very cautious in any reporting on the medical condition of

Exercise care when interviewing family members or friends of those

Go beyond the basic story of the hostage taking or standoff to

what happened, reports on the preparation and execution of the

In covering a pending raid or law enforcement action, journalists are

Be extremely cautious to not compromise the secrecy of officials’

Support high-integrity, independent journalism that serves

Reeling in a federal boost for local journalism remains

Condé Nast workers at Vogue, Vanity Fair, GQ and other

Sometimes, I want to be terrifying

Hearst Connecticut ramps up coverage of Hartford County,

Start your day informed

Get the Poynter newsletter that's right for you.

SEARCH MEDIA JOBS

Arts Midwest - Managing Editor - Flexible

Reporter - Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Production Consultant - Work from home

Staff Writer/Editor, Quanta Magazine - New York

Easy to use, low-risk, innovative solution OPEN

Support responsible news and fact-

 ETHICS & LEADERSHIP

Subscribe to Poynter’s newsletters

© All Rights Reserved Poynter Institute 2022

Institute’s most-recent public financial disclosure form 990 here.

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