Why Not Name The Others?
Why Not Name The Others?KAKE Blog Listing
Why Not Name The Others?
Topic Author: Jared Cerullo
Posted: 4:33 PM Aug 8, 2009
Replies Posted: 10 comments
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The reporting of the arrest of a Catholic priest this week has shocked and angered many people.  Here are a couple answers to questions I've been getting:

Q: Why don't you name the other people involved in the sting?

A: As a priest and prominent member of our community, many believe Father Campbell is held to a higher standard than the other people who were involved.  He is the leader of a large, vibrant congregation.  The diocese immediate response, with a news release and temporarily removing the priest from his duties, seem to reflect that.

Q: He has not been formally charged.  Why did you report his name?

A: Our policy at KAKE News, as it always has been, is to report the names of individuals who have been arrested and jailed for newsworthy crimes.  Arrest records are public records.  If someone is being held for a prior warrant or probation violation, but police are holding them for suspicion of a new crime, we will not report their name until formal charges have been brought against them for that new crime.  In this case, Father Campbell was arrested and jailed on charges of lewd and lascivious behavior, public nudity, and remaining in a park after hours. 

Hopefully, this will answer a few of your questions.  If you have any others, feel free to leave a comment below.

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Posted by: Barbara Location: Wichita
We just returned home from our vacation and was catching up on the news. I was appalled to hear of the arrest of Fr. Campbell in the Oak Park sex sting. But I am also appalled that he is the only one named. Why is he being held to a higher standard? How do I know that one of the others isn't my neighbor, my doctor, my lawyer, my judge, or the man I just passed at Wal-Mart. I am disgusted with the news media that decides that they have the right to pick and choose what they tell the public. The News Media has forgotten that their job is to report the news....ALL of it...not just what they think we should here. Disgusting.

Posted by: DJ Location: Wichita
If you have certain rules to follow, fine, but other people were arrested and I may be working with one of them???? It would be nice to know, high profile person or not....the public, if the record is for the public, should of been made known of ALL individuals. We have children, etc. that if we know one of these people, we should have the choice as individuals and parents on how to address these people if we happen to know them. If public is ok to know them, then report them ALL, just not the HIGH PROFILE in which you seem is the most important to get a story out.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: wichita ks.
He Who Lives Without Sin May Cast the First Stone. And if you are truly christian you know about forgiveness and would be praying for Him instead of bad mouthing about him.

Posted by: Jared Cerullo Location: KAKE
Barbara: We, as a news organization, ultimately have to make decisions on a daily basis what to report and what not to report. Our responsibility involves choosing what viewers, as a mass audience, want or need to hear about. Is there a written list of standards? Of course not. But we certainly have guidelines that we go by on a daily basis to determine what stories or information to report and what to pass up. Example: Nobody wants or needs to hear the name or see the picture of a career prostitute that got caught on South Broadway during a john sting for the fourth time. However, in this instance, someone of higher public stature, higher moral standard, higher authority if you will, got caught. That makes him and him only newsworthy.

Posted by: Jean Location: Wichita
Any chance you could investigate prior behavior by this priest? I have been told by others in the parish that this isn't a new thing for him. He apparently had an appartment downtown at one point which was used for certain types of activities. Although he wasn't caught with a child, I do not think he was beyond it. There is a lot more to him and I hope you are able to bring it in the opening.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: wichita
The founders of your station are rolling over in their graves at your style of "news reporting" They never stooped so low.

Posted by: Local Viewer Location: Wichita
Amazing how the Police website doesn't always get updated with this info inspite of the fact that it would help deture this type of behaviour if it was (or at least that the argument they made for starting it in the beginning). Not a very level playing field by the Wichita PD.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Wicita
I believe all names all of the time should be posted for the public to see in the Wichita Eagle or on line.But for someone like a man of God to do this.Who do we have to look up to if not them. NO ONE Yes he is human but there is absolutly no excuse for him.How stupid could you be to be in a park and not expect to maybe get caught.The type of job he has makes him very newsworthy. I sure wouldn't want him preaching in a church i go to.

Posted by: Anonymous It seems to me that the only ones who are complaining about the reporting of this man's name are the ones who would rather have this issue just swept under the rug. KAKE had every right to call this person out and I am glad they did.

Posted by: Barbara Location: Wichita
Are these "standards" that certain people are being held to posted somewhere as public records? Do these "standards" also list what is "newsworthy"? Since the other people involved are not being deemed as "newsworthy" enough to name their names than are they free to go and live the same lifestyle that they were just arrested for since their good names have been left intact?

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