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SEVEN QUESTIONS
As the standoff dragged on, questions about coverage became almost as prevalent as questions about ATF tactics and Branch Davidian beliefs. Martin L. "Red" Gibson, a communications professor at the University of Texas at Austin, welcomed the questions. "There will be a next time," Gibson points out. "And if we don't discuss these things now, we won't have any guidelines when something like this happens again."
Gibson helped organize a task force for the Society of Professional Journalists to examine the ethical questions posed by coverage of the Branch Davidian story. In a press release issued on March 6, the society listed seven questions that the task force would try to answer:
* The Waco Tribune-Herald began publishing a seven-part series about the cult on February 27 despite requests by federal authorities to delay the reports. Was there any legitimate reason to delay the reports?
* Was there anything unethical about newspaper and TV reporters waiting on the road outside the compound when law enforcement troops arrived on February 28 to seize the compound? Did the presence tip the sect members as to what was happening -- or did the sect members find out another way, and specifically was it from the media on what was about to happen?
* KRLD/1080 in Dallas became part of the story in agreeing to air messages ironed out between sect leader Vernon Howell [David Koresh's original name] and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Should the station have done this? Should the station have agreed to air pieces of Scripture prepared by Howell and do on-the-air interviews on the day of the attempted siege? Were these proper roles of the station?
* CNN had a live interview with Howell after verifying the credibility of the calls to the station. Was this proper in a competitive situation or should it have worked with law enforcement officials in securing the interview?
* Some law enforcement officials believe the news media coverage contributed to the tragedy. Is this a valid criticism?
* How did KWTX-TV in Waco become the only TV station accompanying ATF agents to the compound? Was it just good news sense? Should the station have been generous in making its pictures available to other stations and networks, or again, was their selective sharing what happens in a competitive market?
* After several days, law enforcement officials removed the media to such a point away from the compound that some journalists feel the only "neutral" observers there were unable to perform their duties adequately. Who made that decision and why was it made? Did it affect sources and speculative information?
