“WSB Ambulance Chasers”

[amyeby]

I am writing to let the WSB know how disappointed I am in the “ambulance chaser” mentality that is present on your blog. I am fairly new to your blog, a reader for about two months. I was quite offended and disturbed yesterday by the close up photos of the accident at 35th and Barton. I feel that you are becoming (or maybe always have been) like a television reporter trying to get sensational pics just because. If something is causing a big traffic back up or risk to the community, I understand your interest, and appreciate a one-liner about it. I hope that most of our community doesn’t need close-up photos of every accident. The fact that you stated that “we chose not to include a photo of the woman who was driving since she was innocent” sickened me because you even mentioned it.

I am also personally upset at your ambulance chaser mentality because I had a small electrical fire in my kitchen this morning. As the firemen were investigating my home and I was unsure whether the entire thing would be going up in flames while my two small children were nearby, a WSB representative flashed his badge at myself and the firefighter to ask questions. There was no smoke, no one breaking down doors and obviously no significant story. If this kind of reporting continues I will spread the word and no longer support your otherwise great blog. I am not interested in a FOX news-type blog for my community.

[flipjack]

Kinda relates to the other posts on here about the car accident pictures.

hmmm, might be something to consider toning down?

I know I would be pissed if I had a reporter, blogger, or any other gawker standing around asking questions and snapping pictures at a personal tragedy or difficulty I was involved in.

There’s a point where information has diminishing returns it seems. I don’t think having this brought to peoples attention makes anyone feel safer and thus doesn’t create more safety at all.

[k]

wasn’t there a thread on here discussing this very subject????

[Erik]

https://westseattleblog.com/blog/forum/topic.php?id=603

[Kayleigh]

Amyebe, just wanted to say that I don’t blame you for safeguarding you and your family’s sense of safety and well-being.

Glad you all are OK.

[Anonymous]

amyeby, that sounds personally upsetting for you, but if you looked at the 911 log, 15 units were called out. Anyone monitoring would assume something of gigantic proportions occurred. Sirens would have been coming from everywhere. I think many people would want to know what was going on. What if a gas line burst. What if it was another meth house that was about to explode and people needed to evacuate. There are valid reasons to let us know as quickly as possible that everything is okay.

[Anonymous]

I just want to say that I love WSB and the job they do bringing information to us as quickly as possible. WSB is a news source and they will report the news in our community. And from what JT said, it seems that they were just doing their job and doing it well.

[beachdrivegirl]

I understand how some might be offended by this; however, I find all the information including those about accidents and fires informative and important. Furtheremore, it can be educational. if you do not want to comment or the information shared when they arrive tell them so and if you dont want to see the pictures or read the artciles associated with the accidents that do occur skip on over them. Nice job WSB!

[Anonymous]

A side note, that pertains to both threads. The last time I was taken by stretcher and ambulance to emergency, 2 fire trucks, an aid car, and a supervisor blocked off the road in front of my house. It was after dark and no secret. You couldn’t miss the lights and activity. My neighbors didn’t get any info until the next day. I felt really bad learning they sat up worrying and would have been grateful for someone to let them know I was OK.

Just one perspective, I know.

[beachdrivegirl]

Very true JT. I think that it would have reassured your neighbors. On a different less serious note here is another instance I would have rather had the report on here…. I know that one time my car was victim to a hit and run and becuase of that the police and tow truck had to come and get my car as evidence at 10pm @ night……quite embarresing considering I had just moved into the neighborhodo- I nearly wanted to go door to door just to explain to the neighbors that i wasnt a crazy person that stole cars or something…

[JenV]

amyeby: I am glad to hear everything is ok. it was disconcerting to see that many firetrucks in front of a house. I understand you being upset about this. I hope you know there are neighbors who care- even if it seems we are a little “vulture-y”

[WSB]

Hi all. Just back from the Harbor Avenue fire scene and if anyone wants to tell me that’s not newsworthy, I’m all ears. We weren’t even in front of the scanner – I was heading back across the bridge with my son from downtown, and we saw the huge fire callout. So we found a parking place and ran over to see what was going on. If you want to call covering fires and police incidents “ambulance chasing,” I am sorry that you see it that way. We believe people have the right to know what’s going on and we are less intrusive about it than any other news organization for which I have ever worked in 25-plus years of journalism. Pretty much everything we go check out starts with a note or a text or a call from somebody “what’s going on” and that’s what we are here to answer. Now I’m getting back to posting about the ActivSpace fire, followed by about 12 other stories I have in queue, from lost dogs to animal-control followups to school fundraisers to West Seattle 101 features, and we will be working till at least midnight tonight at the Design Review Board meeting about the Junction developments as well as organizational issues on the West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day. If one facet of our multifaceted coverage is not for you, I am really sorry to hear that, but we are not going to change our policy of covering what’s happening, and covering it the best way we can. — TR, WSB editor

[charlabob]

Amyeby — I, too, am glad everything worked out – and that this turned out to be a nonstory – I assume this is the event to which you refer?

Update: Fire call on 42nd not a fire

Sounds like, from the responses here and on the front page, that there was concern and that the information from wsb helped to allay that concern. The resulting story said, “This is not a story.” But if they hadn’t been there, people wouldn’t have known what happened and the rumors might well have gotten out of hand.

I spent a lot of years in the news biz and these decisions are often difficult. (wsb posted a response to the community in the comment thread on the original blog article (about halfway through the comments). https://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=6803)

I believe wsb shows amazing good taste and restraint — there’s a public interest and public safety component here too.

I hope the response, on both sides, causes wsb to continue to weigh each occurrence carefully, as they have done. And I also hope it doesn’t cause wsb to stop performing this valuable community service.

[cjboffoli]

I think it is in bad taste to criticize the WSB editors/owners who are doing a great public service for the West Seattle community with their coverage of what is happening around us. Comparing them to sensationalist mainstream media outlets like Fox News is really off-base. If anything, this kind of hyper-local news reporting is the antithesis of that kind of impersonal media coverage that is more about profit than anything else. Much of what happens in West Seattle isn’t profitable enough for the larger newspapers to trouble themselves with covering. The WSB fills a huge gap with virtually immediate and comprehensive coverage of what is happening on any given day.

I think the WSB editors/owners and all of those who contribute to the West Seattle Blog are reporting on stories in order to keep people informed about what is going in around us. Unfortunately, some of those things are often unpleasant and tragic because we live in the real world. Those who find the truth “offensive” should perhaps look elsewhere for their news. Personally, I’m an adult and I don’t require anyone to decide for me what I should and should not see and read. I’d like to make that call myself.

In absolutely every interaction I have had with the WSB editors they have been extremely professional and cautious in considering the appropriateness of what they are covering and the way the information is being presented. They work a ridiculous amount of hours and go largely uncompensated for the value of what they contribute to our community day after day. Anyone who reads this blog owes them thanks, not criticism.

[Anonymous]

cjboffoli- Ditto

[beachdrivegirl]

double ditto

[katydid]

ditto, ditto, ditto

\WSB is the best imho

[Kayleigh]

I think WSB does an amazing job of getting an astonishing amount of information to us (and accurately, to boot.) And they have chosen this path. Accident and fire victims don’t choose to be vulnerable, sick, injured, etc.

Amy’s priority is her own emotional well-being and the well-being of her family, as is the case for all of us in crisis. Which is why I don’t blame her for her reaction. WSB’s need for news and neighbors’ curiosity come a distant second and third for her (and anybody else in a similar situation.)

[JimmyG]

PERSONAL tragedy where no is hurt, there is no threat to the community at large, and doesn’t affect anyone else as in amyeby’s situation today is nobody’s business unless she herself chooses to share it.

Just because she may be my neighbor, or I heard about it on a scanner, or the fire department sent a large response doesn’t make it anyone’s business if the scenario is as I described above.

I have worked everyday of my career (over 22 years) dealing with people’s tragedies, and over the years the attitude from those in the media and the public at large to know what’s going on, or that they think a private matter is “news” disgusts me.

Once WSB got to the scene and found out it was a nothing story there should have been no more questions asked. A post of her full address is wrong. We don’t even get the full address of sex offenders listed, just the hundred block they live in. I would hope WSB could do that small change. Yes you can look it up on the SFD call log, but WSB doesn’t have to post the actual house number.

[JimmyG]

Oh, and to anyone who thinks that WSB should be free from criticism, my guess is the editors appreciate a well-articulated and mature critique of their product as that is how any business stays ahead of the curve and continues to improve.

[Jeannie]

Much as I love the WSB, I think photos of victims are completely inappropriate. Yes, do cover the traffic accidents and other unfortunate events, but photos of victims don’t add anything of real news value. Imagine if you were an accident victim, terrified, shocked, and in pain, and someone snapped your picture and posted it online. Put yourself in their shoes–or stretcher, as the case may be. The harm outweighs the benefit.

[cjboffoli]

Jimmy G: I agree with you philosophically. I should perhaps qualify my earlier remarks to say that I think constructive criticism can be a positive thing, an essential part of an open society, and a force to improve the quality of whatever is under scrutiny. But I was in touch with the WSB editors this afternoon after they read this forum string and I can tell you that the emotion they were feeling was not exactly appreciation.

Jeannie: The WSB has a large readership and I expect each reader has their own sense of what they think is appropriate.

My litmus test is whether or not something strikes me as exploitative and I’m fairly confident that the WSB editors are not interested in exploiting the misfortune of the victims who are making news in West Seattle. If I had the misfortune of being the victim of an accident in a public place, the last thing on my mind would be who is watching me and who might see me in the West Seattle Blog or the newspaper. I don’t understand where this desire to hide accidents and misfortune comes from. Don’t we already do a sufficient job at hiding sickness and disease? Why must we selectively omit these real parts of the human experience and pretend like they don’t exist?

The mainstream American media already does an extraordinary job of censoring the news of the real world, especially the true extent of the violence of conflict and wars. We’re extremely fortunate to have the standard of living we do in the US. Vast populations are exposed on a daily basis to all kinds of visceral images of violence and disease and we sit around in our comfortable chairs in front of a computer and split hairs over what is “offensive” and “appropriate.” I my humble opinion, these are just words that only further obscure the truth.

I was a resident of lower Manhattan on 9/11 and witnessed the attack on and collapse of the World Trade Center. At one point that day I saw passersby yelling at local TV media to stop filming people who were desperately jumping to their deaths. I understood their concern and sentiment but I was gratified that the professionals behind the cameras kept on rolling. Someone had to document the true extent of the brutality of that day. The media must sometimes serve as an unblinking eye to the truth around us even when the strongest of us would prefer to look away.

[JanS]

thank you for saying that, Christopher. You’re pretty much spot on. I just bypass the pictures/videos if I don’t want to see them. I haven’t noticed anything “sensationalistic” about anything that was posted on here. It’s just news reporting, though on a neighborhood level. I so appreciate knowing what’s going on in my community, as presented by TR/WSB and the whole crew. I’ve been in West Seattle for 33 years, and because of this blog have finally really become involved with the community and it’s people. I thank WSB..and others on here, for that.

[k]

we all want to believe that the west seattle we live in is all about garage sales, art walks, bake sales and festive events…but alas, that is not true. we don’t live in a bubble. at times it may feel like we do as west seattle is a little “island” unlike any other part of this city. yet, it is still a city. along with that comes crime and other news making events. i commend WSB for reporting all facets of life here on our “island” and wish for them to continue to do so. those who do not wish to read the negative have every right to skip on over it. WSB is the most thorough source of information for west seattle and i am grateful for that! thank you again for all the work you put into this and for the service you provide to all of us. kudos. raves. high fives!

[shihtzu]

I do like all of the reporting and think most of these stories are useful (dangerous speeding in residential areas, etc). But I second the comment someone else made that if the story is ever about me, please don’t post my picture. Pictures of the cars get the point across just fine.

I know there’s probably no harm, but it’s just not necessary. Some people are just private people and since this is such a local blog, the whole neighborhood doesn’t need to see my woes.

[Author]

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