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Earlier this week the Franklin Observer received an email from Jennifer Knight-Levine of the Safe Coalition:
Dear Mr. Earls,
Attached you will find a Letter to the Editor for The Observer. Our hope is this will be published in The Observer and should it not be, we will find alternative means for distribution.
Warmly,
Jennifer Levine
[This message was emailed to us, to the coauthor of the letter, Mr. Derick, and to the personal email of Jeffrey N. Roy, attorney and State Representative for Franklin.]
The letter is reproduced below, verbatim:
[Safe Coalition Logo Appears Here on Original]
October 4, 2021
Dear Editor,
I write in objection to your sensationalist narrative reviews of emergency medical calls within the Town of Franklin. To date, three articles highlighting child victims, three articles highlighting domestic violence victims, and four articles associated with substance use and possible overdose have been published in your Franklin Observer.
As a journalist, you should be aware that the Canons of Journalism purposefully seek to reduce sensationalism and to consider the reader's welfare when presenting a report or story (https://members.newsleaders.org/asne-principles). The Canons include Freedom and Responsibility, Accuracy and Fairness, Independence and Tolerance, Respect for Human Rights, and Decency and Moderation.
Each of the narratives you published have deviated from the code and exposed at least one of the following related to treatment for a medical condition: home address, number of previous visits by emergency personal, location of next transfer of care, location and pictures of incident, and children involved. While reviewing your published articles, I struggle to recognize your limitation of harm
Additionally, your continued use of the term, “EMT” when describing first responders is outdated and therefore erroneous. All medically trained fire fighters are EMT-P’s, Emergency Medical Trained Paramedics which involves years more of significant medical schooling.
In recent years, our community, our first responders, our families, and our tax dollars have focused on decreasing stigma, increasing mental health support from an emergency perspective, and enhancing the opportunity for individuals to reach out when they are needing assistance. But when you discuss home address, number of previous visits by emergency personal, location of next transfer of care, location and pictures of incidents, and children involved, the section of the Canon, you fail to show “Respect for Human Rights” and impair the work done to remove stigma. According to the Canons, you should pay the utmost respect to the dignity of human beings by putting a high value on their honor and respect their right to privacy.
Thomas Jefferson shared that “Where the press is free and every man is able to read, all is safe.” Your work not only violates the canons, but it also challenges Jefferson’s observation. Indeed, when community members weigh their request for trained emergency medical help with the reality of being photographed or having their personal information shared, all is NOT safe. The act of sensationalizing personal medical needs is not journalism, it is slander and an invasion of privacy.
For these reasons, it is my direct request that you discontinue the action of writing personal, erroneous, and marginalizing material about our citizens and first responders. It is also requested that you attend a de-stigmatization training with the SAFE Coalition and that you reflect on the Town of Franklin’s Civil Discourse Pledge (RESOLUTION 20-14) as you prepare for the upcoming election.
Warmly,
Jennifer Levine, Executive Director and co-founder
James Derick, President, Board of Directors and co-founder
* * * * * * *
The Franklin Observer’s response is as follows:
Thank you for taking the time to contact us.
Regarding the final sentence of the email, we do encourage you to disseminate your letter anywhere you see fit. We plan to do so as well and encourage our news colleagues and First Amendment activists to do the same.
We do take exception to questionable assertions regarding the Franklin Observer's local news reports and the non-specific claims regarding the several articles referred to in your letter. Furthermore, we are disappointed that the SAFE Coalition would seek to keep the public from understanding the depth and severity of addiction and domestic violence issues that surround us.
Thank you for taking the time to contact us.
* * * * *
NOTE: For those not familiar with the SAFE Coalition, the web site’s “about” statement reads as follows:
“SAFE is a regional coalition of community partners in Western Norfolk County (serving Franklin, Foxboro, Mansfield, Medway, Millis, Norfolk, Plainville, Walpole, Wrentham and surrounding towns) who have come together to provide a pathway for support, education, treatment options and coping mechanisms for those affected by substance use disorder. We do so by empowering those affected, including their families, with the tools necessary to succeed on their journey to recovery. We understand that while I can’t, we can.”
