Editorial- The Dirty Job of Reporting Ugly News

We’ve recently faced criticism for reporting on three sexual assault-related arrests, one of which drew intense public reaction because of a familiar last name. Some have accused us of clickbait or of harming those involved. But here’s the reality: three men were arrested in a 48-hour span for serious charges involving sexual assault. That is grave news for any community and unprecedented in Fallon’s memory.

As journalists, we can’t ignore that. We cover these stories because this matters, not just to the victims, but to our entire community. What would the outcry be if we had this information and stayed silent?

We publish all arrests, from the most minor offenses to the most serious – albeit not always timely. We don’t pick and choose based on last names, speculation, or public pressure. Our arrest reports include only the facts: the charges filed, and arrest date. To withhold one arrest or not call attention to these three arrests, when we’ve published hundreds before would be to abandon the core of fair, consistent reporting. 

Yes, the possibility exists that the accused is later found not guilty. And if that happens, we’ll report that as we always do. In fact, we will shout it from the rooftops. We want the crime to have NOT occurred. We want the victim(s) to be safe. We want the accused to walk away cleared, unharmed, and vindicated. But in six years of reporting on sex crime cases, most involving children, only one has gone to trial, and was found far from innocent. The rest have pleaded guilty before a trial ever begins. 

We don’t write these stories to shame, enrage, or entertain. We write them because this is happening. And if no one reports it, what then? Laws don’t change. Victims don’t come forward. Silence allows predators to thrive in the dark and continue victimizing. But when we shine a light, something shifts. People pay attention. Communities begin to confront hard truths. And sometimes, slowly, change follows.

We deeply regret the pain these stories cause. But we regret more the frequency with which we must write them.

In the words of Nick Stone, “It’s a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.”