NEWS TIP SHEET
Media hype surrounding the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case raises issues of accuracy and fairness in reporting, according Meg Moritz, an associate professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
"In these cases, excess news coverage is almost assured and one of the bottom line issues is whether the media can be fair to the accuser," said Moritz. "The Internet further complicates the issue because all kinds of personal details that might not otherwise be in mainstream media are all over the Web and you wonder if newspaper and TV reporters will ignore this information. It puts serious journalists in a real bind."
Moritz, a former television news producer, studies ethical issues facing journalists who cover high-profile cases. She is available for comment at (303) 492-1610.
Also available for comment are:
* Patricia Raybon, an associate professor of journalism who studies race and ethnicity issues in the media. Raybon can be reached at (303) 492-4188.
* Paul Campos, a professor of law and a syndicated columnist for the Scripps Howard News Service, can comment on criminal justice and legal theory. In a recent column, Campos criticized the way rape cases are prosecuted in Colorado and believes "the politics of rape" have contaminated the legal system. Campos can be reached at (303) 492-6053. Also see his column in the Rocky Mountain News, "The new politics of rape."
* Christopher Mueller, a professor of law, can address trial procedure and the rules of evidence. His phone number is (303) 492-6973.
* Meg Campbell, an assistant professor of marketing in CU-Boulder's Leeds School of Business, can speak about how marketers make decisions on spokespeople, particularly regarding product endorsements. She can be reached at (303) 735-6305.
For assistance, contact Dirk Martin at the CU-Boulder Office of News Services at (303) 492-3140.