Posted on: Sunday, November 7, 2004
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AFTER DEADLINE
Grieving families are toughest assignments
By Anne Harpham
Advertiser Senior Editor
Last Monday morning, the kind of news that reporters dread to cover began trickling in.
First, the Department of Defense released the names of two Kane'ohe-based Marines killed in Iraq. Less than an hour later, the names of two more Kane'ohe Marines killed in the same bombing were released. In another hour or so the number had risen to seven.
The news was grim and sobering. They were not the first from Hawai'i to die in Iraq or Afghanistan but the number killed in one day was shocking.
These are difficult stories to write and I was reminded of that as I listened to reporters talk to grieving families that day.
It reminded me of times when I was a reporter that I had talked to families after an accident or some other tragedy. It was never easy to pick up the phone or approach them in person.
I remember having to steel myself to make the calls. What do I say to someone who has lost a loved one, I would ask myself.
Often, I didn't have to worry about what to say. I just listened.
Those people I talked with almost always made it less difficult for me. I left those interviews reminded of the basic strength and goodness in most people.
You could see that again in the stories on Tuesday in which family members talked about their sons and shared their feelings.
The seven Marines killed last weekend in Iraq were not just statistics. They were part of our community and they had individual stories.
It is important to tell those stories, even when it is not easy to do so.
In telling those stories, we try to be respectful of people's feelings. Some families don't want to or can't talk to us and we honor that. Most willingly share with us — and with you.
• • •
When Vice President Dick Cheney appeared in a campaign stop at the Hawai'i Convention Center last Sunday night, we reported in the story Monday morning that GOP officials said 5,000 to 7,000 people attended the event.
Seasoned reporters and editors know that crowd estimates for events that are controversial or polarizing will almost always bring in complaints.
This story was no exception. We got several calls Monday from readers saying we had gotten it wrong.
Our practice is to rely, if we can, on a neutral source, such as police, for attendance estimates.
In the case of the Cheney appearance, that wasn't possible. And so we made it clear that the estimate for the attendance inside the convention center came from organizers so that readers knew the source of the information and could judge it as they wished.
The reporter who attended the event was comfortable with the range in the numbers we used.
Some readers who called, all of whom said they attended the Cheney appearance, were not. Several said the number was closer to 11,000. Others said far fewer than we reported were in attendance. One caller said no more than 1,100 attended.
We know that some readers will never believe that we do not try to inflate or reduce crowd estimates. But the fact is we do not.
Reporters and editors take seriously the responsibility to try to get an accurate estimate.
Anne Harpham is The Advertiser's reader representative. Reach her at 525-8033 or aharpham@honoluluadvertiser.com.
