A panel discussion sponsored by Professor Otis Sanford and the JRSM Department examined the news coverage issues surrounding the beating death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis and featured four prominent area journalists along with a former Memphis police chief.
More than 100 students and faculty members attended “Covering the Nichols Tragedy: A Real-time and Historical Perspective” Feb. 9 in the Meeman Journalism Building.
Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, was beaten by Memphis police officers on Jan. 7 and later died from his injuries. The death and subsequent Jan. 27 video release of the beating attracted nationwide attention to Memphis and the issue of police brutality.
The panelists were reporters Julia Baker of the Daily Memphian, Rebecca Butcher of ABC Local 24 and Lucas Finton of The Commercial Appeal. Also participating were Jerome Wright, former police reporter for The Commercial Appeal, as well as Toney Armstrong, former Memphis police director.
The discussion centered on how the local news media reports police brutality. Panelists offered advice on how the local media can continue to report on the Nichols tragedy. Armstrong even offered advice to future journalists reporting on news stories with high emotional impact involving police.
“Tell the truth. Don’t sensationalize. Don’t add to it. Don’t take away from it. Don’t
put a slant on it,” Armstrong said. “I don’t care as long as you tell the truth. I don’t care if it is a negative story. I don’t care if it puts me in a bad light, as long as you tell the truth. We are at a point now where that’s the issue – who’s telling the truth, and who’s not telling the truth. So just as people want to have confidence in their police department, they want to have the same level of confidence in you too.”