While I don't agree with airing vulture stories (grieving widows, victim's families, etc.) I understand a lot of you are forced to do these cheap excuses for broadcast journalism. (Geez, Grape, tell us how you really feel...)
In any event, I've noted of late a few anchors who deliver teases for these stories with a gleam in their eye. Nothing is more sleazy, more cheap, than watching an anchor look into the camera the way a cat looks at a mouse and say something like, "Tonight we get an exclusive interview with the wife of yesterday's murder victim... it's a story you'll see only on channel whatever."
Oh, please.
If you're going to write something that cheesy, at least deliver it with a straight face. Bad enough to use someone's grief for a promotion, but don't lower yourself with body language any more than you have to.
As for doing these stories, we all know they are extremely difficult. On the occasions I've been assigned to these (9/11 comes to mind immediately) it is best to have the photog wait in the car and politely knock on the door first. Vulture stories are not the place for ambush journalism.
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