Hazards of Human Interest

Human-interest stories require special warnings because of problems that seldom occur in straight news reporting- problems that are certain to test the reporter’s devotion to accuracy, neutrality, and sense of fair play.

First is the problem of hoaxes. Thousands of’ journalists have been taken in by “cute stories:’ that never happened. One tells about the clergyman who lacks a coin for the parking, meter, so he leaves a note on the windshield, explaining the situation and ending with “Forgive us our trespasses.” When he returned finds a parking ticket and a note that says, “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s.”

Another classic tells about the stalled motorist who explains to a helpful neighbor that his car needs only a push but that it has an automatic transmission and won’t start until it gets up to 35 miles an hour. The Good Samaritan gets into his car and backs away. The stalled driver settles down behind the steering wheel and waits. Nothing happens. Then he looks back and sees his benefactor’s car coming toward him-at 35 miles an hour. Each of these stories has been published several times as legitimate news, ‘yet it is doubtful whether either ever happened. So many similar stories been passed on to newsmen that professionals have learned never to accept a story that doesn’t contain names they can check.

Another danger related to humor is the possibility of libel. Anything that holds a person up to public ridicule or contempt is libelous, and the dividing line between innocent humor and public ridicule is often hard to determine. If a funny story tends to make a person look stupid, naive, or otherwise ridiculous, the, best advice is to leave it out.

The third pitfall is subtler. Reporters with a well-developed story sense often have a tendency to sympathies with the people they are writing about. They may create heroes or villains, allow themselves to become advocates, or otherwise less bias color their stories.

Perhaps there is no way to prevent this entirely; writers can only subject themselves to a continuing self-examination. Are they seeing things as they are? Or are they allowing their emotions to influence their perception? The better the story sounds the more the writer should suspect himself. Sensitivity to other people certainly characterizes the best reporters-as well as the best human beings-but in both cases; self-discipline is also a vital quality.