Note: This program originally aired on December 10th, 2024.
The true crime genre is here to stay. But survivors of crimes and their families can be exploited in the process of telling these stories.
Questions around the ethics of telling true crime stories — from the language journalists use to what stories get told and who gets to tell them — continue to be a topic of discussion. And it’s a conversation not only for those in the world of journalism, but for researchers and advocates who work with survivors of crimes.
We’ll also discuss the fascination the general public has when it comes to true crime as a genre — some find it relaxing to watch murder documentaries. Why is that? And what are the mental health implications for bingeing these trauma-filled stories?
On the next Charlotte Talks, we discuss the draw to the genre, the impact of consuming these stories, and what journalists and audiences of this media need to keep in mind as they tell and watch them.
GUESTS:
Dr. Marissa Harrison (Ph.D), professor of psychology at Penn State Harrisburg
Dr. Charlie Tuggle (Ph.D), Stembler distinguished professor at the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media
Renee Williams, CEO of the National Center for Victims of Crime
Resource guides from the National Center for Victims of Crime:
