“No Name. No Photo. No Notoriety.”
Since its founding in July 2012 by Tom and Caren Teves, the No Notoriety campaign has challenged media outlets to responsibly cover mass shootings for the sake of public safety. On July 20, 2012 a shooter walked into the midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colo., and murdered 12 people while leaving 70 more wounded.
No Notoriety demands the media “eliminate the gratuitous use of the name and likeness of rampage mass killers, and shift the focus to the victims, heroes and survivors.” The campaign does not demand media censorship; it demands humane thoughts for those who have been affected by these tragedies and a change in media to potentially eliminate future acts of violence. Other areas of media coverage, such as sexual assault, juvenile crime and suicide, have policies surrounding use of names and images of perpetrators and victims. No Notoriety asks for voluntary coverage policy changes from the media when it comes to mass shootings.
The campaign demands social responsibility from journalists when covering mass shootings. Data proves that most gunmen in mass shootings are suicidal individuals seeking fame. This instills like-minded individuals to “copycat” the crimes previously committed because media attention has given these shooters the fame they sought. By covering mass shootings this way, the press is instilling power in the shooters and taking the lives of innocent victims.
The campaign demands the media only name the shooter after initial identification and then refer to them as “shooter” or “defendant.” It also seeks to eliminate unnecessary stories on the shooter that include photographs, videos and manifestos. These stories do not inform the public; they entertain the public and increase ratings while doing so, campaign organizers argue. Lastly, the campaign seeks to inform the public by challenging the media to report more extensively on mental health with the aid of experts in the field. The challenge presented by the campaign is directed towards the profession of journalism. For the sake of public safety and social responsibility the campaign demands change on coverage of mass shootings by the media.
You can use this Chrome plugin, called “Zero Minutes of Fame,” to substitute the name and image of mass shooters with the names and images of victims.
Mass Shooting Journalism 