Debate about ethical reporting has many sides

Yesterday, the NYU community suffered together from the loss of a fellow student. Statements from President John Sexton and university spokesman John Beckman both expressed sorrow at the tragedy, and they both indicated that the death was an apparent suicide in Bobst Library. The WSN Editorial Board offers its deepest condolences and sympathies to the family and friends of that student, and we share in the sadness that has blanketed the university since the news broke.

But as part of the media, student journalists are often required to put aside emotions in order to get the job done. Stories like these bring up incredibly difficult and complex questions, the answers to which rarely satisfy everyone. Ethical issues arise, and with subjects as sensitive as yesterday's incident, debates within and among media are unavoidable. And with a story as public as a student death, debates between news organizations and the public they serve become more relevant than ever.

This story brought up a number of these questions, namely the publishing of the student's name. Nearly every major professional news outlet in New York City — from Gawker to The New York Times — reported the story, and almost all published the student's name.

But student press is different. It serves students, not the general public. We think each side of this debate deserves examination. It should be noted that no member of the board was involved in WSN's decision to publish the name.

Whether it is ethical to publish the name is central to the argument. Should student media accommodate the wishes of the family to remain private? (These wishes were expressed in Sexton's statement.) Or is the name's newsworthiness paramount to the story? Is the name truly the story, or is the suicide the story? Is the debate even relevant, considering that the NYPD released the name to major publications before any student media organization had access to it?

We are virtually split down the middle in reaching any conclusion. Some members of the board thought the name added a needed personal side to the story, while others thought the name could have been interchanged with almost any other NYU student's name and the story would have remained fundamentally unchanged. The name was already out there, so news sources may have been justified in printing it. But out of respect for the family, some thought that student media, at least, should withhold the name.

We are not universally defending or endorsing WSN's decision to publish the name. But it is easy to vilify the press without considering the complex nature of the questions it struggles with; a look at the comments section of all news sources that did publish the name, including WSN, reflects this. But as the media evolves, these ethical issues will become increasingly complicated, and we think debates like this require more scrutiny than ever. With the media dialogue so open, we think all sides should try to understand one another's views.

Media criticism aside, our thoughts are with those who are suffering. As WSN wisely closes its reporting of the death, we hope the family will be afforded all of the privacy and space it needs.