Thursday, May 16, 2019

Who's the Victim?



HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: It’s something Dame Sue Grafton talked about all the time—how the
most neglected character in mystery novels is—the victim.

And the wonderful Dick Belsky, a reporter and editor of infinite renown who has now taken on fiction as a second brilliantly successful career—has been thinking the same thing.



MURDER IS NOT ALWAYS EQUAL--
IN THE MEDIA - OR MYSTERY FICTION

By R.G. Belsky




“Everybody matters, or nobody matters.”

That’s the famous credo of Harry Bosch, Michael Connelly’s wonderful and long-running LAPD homicide detective - and it really is a noble and laudable concept.

Sadly though, it’s not always true.

Not in real life police murder investigations.

Not in the media, where I worked for many years covering murders at the New York Post, New York Daily News and NBC News.

And not even in mystery fiction, where I write a series these days about a TV journalist named Clare Carlson.

My new book BELOW THE FOLD takes a hard look at the issue of how the media covers different murders in different ways. Sure, every human life is important. But the ones we hear about on the news are often decided by a set of rules sometimes cynically referred to as the White Blonde Female Syndrome.

Sex sells. Sex, money and power. That translates into big ratings numbers, which translates into more advertising dollars. Those are the only kinds of murders worth covering, Clare - a TV news director in New York City - explains at the beginning of the book.

But sometimes a journalist’s human instincts take over and he or she ignore those rules to do what they believe is the right thing, the moral thing - instead of just going for the obvious sensationalistic news appeal.

That’s what happens in BELOW THE FOLD (a newspaper term for a story not considered big enough to make the front page headlines) when Clare begins investigating the murder of a homeless woman on the streets of New York City named Dora Gayle. Dora Gayle isn’t sexy, rich or powerful. She’s really just a “nobody” the people in the newsroom tell Clare, who question why she even cares about this seemingly un-newsworthy murder.

But Clare discovers that the homeless woman was once a beautiful, brilliant college student who dreamed of writing poetry and great literature.

She finds a haunting picture of the woman as a 22-year-old where she looks happy and full of life and still dreaming of the wonderful things she had to look forward to in the life ahead of her.

And Clare eventually finds herself identifying with Dora Gayle - not just as a news story, but as a person.

Oh, and Dora Gayle does turn out to be helluva story too.

I think this is a valuable concept for us to follow in writing mystery fiction, as well as in real life media and police coverage of murders.

Not too many mystery novels are about homeless people or people living in rundown housing projects or even ordinary people living ordinary lives which don’t seem that interesting on the face of it.

But - like Dora Gayle - everyone has a story, when you dig down deep enough to find out the facts about them.

And, to paraphrase Connelly, everyone can matter.

I learned this lesson a long time ago when I was a young journalist at the New York Post, where we had a veteran police reporter who would check out EVERY murder that moved on the police wire, no matter how unimportant it appeared.

I use a fictional version of this in my book, but I can still remember actually sitting there next to him while he would call up the cops and ask questions like: “Tell me about the body of that kid you found in the Harlem pool room - was he a MENSA candidate or what?” Or, “The woman you found dead in the alley behind the housing project - any chance she might be Julia Roberts or a member of the British Royal Family?”

I once asked him why he even bothered since these murders were never going to be anything worth covering in the newspaper.

“Hey, you never know,” he said.

In my book, I follow that advice
as I have Clare Carlson check out the homeless woman’s murder, which turns out to be linked to long-buried secrets involving rich and powerful figures - and it surprisingly explodes into a sensational headline story for Clare and the TV station.

Of course, not every murder can be covered equally in the media.

Or in mystery fiction either.

But do we sometimes focus too much on the sensational, high-profile crimes - and ignore the lost lives around us that might be just as important?

It’s a question that every reporter has to struggle with in the fast-faced media world we live in today.

What do you think?


HANK: It’s so fascinating—which victims get press attention versus the ones who don’t. Do you notice that? What do you think about that? What do you think about why?
And do you realize--it may be that "below the fold" becomes a baffling anachronism? Do you still read the paper paper? I sure do!



R. G. Belsky is an author of crime fiction and a journalist in New York City. His newest mystery , BELOW THE FOLD, is being published in May 2019 by Oceanview.
It is the second in a series featuring Clare Carlson, the news director for a New York City TV station.
The first Clare Carlson book, YESTERDAY’S NEWS, came out in 2018.
Belsky previously wrote the Gil Malloy series - THE KENNEDY CONNECTION, SHOOTING FOR THE STARS AND BLONDE ICE - about a newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News.
Belsky himself is a former managing editor at the Daily News and writes about the media from an extensive background in newspapers, magazines and TV/digital news. At the Daily News, he also held the titles of metropolitan editor and deputy national editor. Before that, he was metropolitan editor of the New York Post and news editor at Star magazine.
Belsky was most recently the managing editor for news at NBCNews.com. His previous suspense novels include PLAYING DEAD and LOVERBOY. Belsky has been nominated as a finalist for the David Award at Deadly Ink and also for the Silver Falchion at Killer Nashville, He also was a Claymore Award winner at Killer Nashville.

49 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your new book, Dick . . . I’m looking forward to reading it and meeting Clare.

    I do still read the paper newspaper, Hank [and I knew what “below the fold” meant but I suspect there are fewer and fewer people that do know].
    I like being able to read the news, to think about the stories . . . when the story is just a sound bite or two, it’s there and gone so quickly that there’s not much time to give it any real thought. Every victim should be considered in the same way and it’s sad that they’re not . . . .

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    1. Yes, "below the fold" is a pretty outmoded term these days, Joan. Less and less people read newspapers. Plus, Clare works for a TV station, not a newspaper anyway. But she loves the traditions of journalism - and that's why I thought the term here captured the feeling of what I was trying to convey. And yes, it would be nice if every murder victim could be "considered in the same way." But sadly that's impossible for the media to ever do. So we in the media must make decisions on which murders to cover and which to ignore. And those aren't always easy answers. That dilemma is what I try to explore in BELOW THE FOLD. Hope you enjoy it...and you enjoy Clare!

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    2. And reading the paper in the morning… That’s just the way I have to start the day! I agree, there is something about being in control of the order in which you read things. And the length of time you can spend on each article

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  2. I have a fascination with the stories behind the average Joe or Jill, people whose stories make up the fabric of history and the daily living of it. Dick, your book has me hooked, with the image of the young 22-year-old woman looking ahead to life and ending up as a murdered homeless person. What happened between the young woman and the murder? I can't wait to find out.

    I do still read the paper paper, too, Hank. I decided that I was going to stop receiving the newspaper every morning at the beginning of the year, but then my husband kept urging me to restart its delivery. He knew I enjoyed reading it in the morning with my coffee. Then, the circulation department called me (before I had a chance to call them) and offered me a deal I couldn't refuse. Because I had been a customer for 40 years and had suddenly stopped, they offered me a $10 a month subscription fee. I asked them if it was for a limited time, and they said it wasn't, but I went ahead and paid for a year in case that information changed.

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    1. Kathy, I'm fascinated too by stories about average people - who are frequently a lot more interesting than we ever imagined. As Clare discovers in this book: Everyone has a story. You just have to go looking for it. I hope you'll check out BELOW THE FOLD. There's a number of stories about different people in it - many of them rich and powerful and influential. But the story of the 22-year-old young woman who wound up as a forgotten homeless woman is at the center of it all...

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    2. Yes, newspapers are struggling! Television stations, too, reality. With so many more channels, the search for eyes is a constant battle.

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    3. I find that so frustrating, Hank. A thriving culture of real journalism is essential to a healthy democracy. I know I'll always be aboe to get the Washington Post and ABC News, but where am I going to find out what's happening in my city if it can't support a newspaper or quality TV journalism?

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  3. I have often wondered what drives a story to be local or national news. There is no way that every case can be covered. I get that. But what makes a story take off and capture all our attention vs. one we never hear of. Sex, money, beauty, and power are certainly part of it. I have noticed the white blond female before for sure. They are usually young as well. I like the reporter you worked with, however. Glad you took that and gave it a fictional spin.

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    1. It's always a dilemma for the media, Mark, on what murders to cover and which ones to ignore. Lots of times those decisions are easy - like O.J. or Jon Benet or a serial killer like Son of Sam or Zodiac. But this time the answers aren't so easy for Clare, even though there is a sensational story that eventually emerges from her investigation of this homeless woman's seemingly insignificant death.

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    2. Yes, exactly. And so much depends on what other news happened that day, you know? Or even whether the people involved will talk about it.

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  4. I love that police reporter's attitude. You just never know who someone might have been. And while I understand the need not to report on every crime, it is too bad that some injustices aren't deemed newsworthy enough to deserve a mention.

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    1. That police reporter is based on an actual person I once worked with in the New York Post newsroom, Marla. He always preached to us about how important it was to check out every murder no matter what...It was damn good advice for me as a young journalist back then. Still is good advice too!

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    2. Some of it, truly, sadly, is random and coincidental. If another victim story happens the same day, what might lead the news one day gets little or no attention

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  5. Thanks, Hank Phillippi Ryan, for letting me visit Jungle Red today. Always a fun place to hang out!

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  6. Congrats on the new book!

    I've been seeing the book promoted on my Twitter feed for a while and after reading this piece I'm even more interested in picking it up.

    Yes, you do notice that there is a type of victim that gets the most coverage on the news. However, because of that stereotype, that coverage is soon followed up by a "What about this victim too?" either in the papers or in online postings.

    I held on for the longest time reading the daily newspaper. In fact, I read three papers a day (regional, statewide, national) plus two local weekly papers, but I ended up giving up the daily paper when it became an expense that the weekly sum of money could be better used being put towards bill paying instead.



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    1. There's still a lot of good journalism around, Jay. Some in newspapers, some on TV and some on websites. Good journalism is good journalism, no matter how its delivered.

      Hope you do pick up BELOW THE FOLD - and enjoy reading about Clare and this story.

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    2. And it is so easy to read the paper on a tablet! Or on the phone. I often read the paper on my phone… But it’s not like the paper paper.

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    3. Don't get me wrong, I love the feel and smell of newsprint and I love journalism. But I have yet to win the lottery for enough money that I can become idly rich and buy whatever I want without thinking of the cost. Even the small cost of the weekly price tag for all the newspapers I once read.

      And I do love to write since I cover concerts, comic conventions and write album reviews. It's not quite the same as REAL journalism but it's a tiny dipped toe in the water.

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  7. Maybe your reporter-mentor should've worn a t-shirt that said "Everybody's life matters." But, business will always be business--and news is big business, no matter the medium. This post reminded me of a song on Rodney Crowell's album 'Fate's Right Hand"--Ridin' Out The Storm. I imagine Rodney walking the streets of a city and noticing a homeless man and wondering--who was he and how did he get to be where he was? And out of those thoughts, a song--or a book--is born. Off to find Below the Fold!

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    1. Oh what an interesting idea! Perfect.

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    2. Yep, that was kind of the idea behind BELOW THE FOLD too, Flora. Everybody has a story, even a homeless person - so what is their story? As a media person though, the unfortunate truth is you can't cover EVERY murder. So you have to make decisions every day based on a lot of factors like who the person is and what else is happening in the news that day. There are no easy answers...

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  8. Congrats on the new book! I love that Harry Bosch mantra--he's such a thoughtful character. Sounds like Clare is headed in that direction. Are you still working as a journalist? I was wondering if might get harder to go behind the scenes if a reporter was retired?

    And yes to Hank, New York Times and Key West Citizen!

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    1. Reading put the paper outside on a sunny morning is such a treat!

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    2. I think you'll find that the one thing Clare has in common with Harry Bosch is integrity about doing their jobs -Harry as a homicide detective, Clare as a journalist. That's a very important quality to me in the books I read - and the ones I write! I left full time journalism a few years ago to write mystery novels, Lucy. But after many years in newsrooms at the New York Post, New York Daily News, Star magazine and NBC News, I have plenty of behind the scenes experience to draw on for my books! Hope you enjoy BELOW THE FOLD.

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  9. I think the other issue is how much more attention killers get than victims. Think of the Columbine killers. You can name them, right? Name a single victim.

    Dick, your thoughts on this are so interesting I'm definitely going to read your book. And I did know about above or below the fold. Of course I read the paper-paper. Also several e-papers. The day wouldn't start without that and a good cup of coffee.

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    1. So agree! It is one of the joys of life.

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    2. Or name Casey Anthony's baby? Interesting point, Hallie. Of course, sometimes the victims are the story like with Jon Benet. It's definitely an interesting discussion. Hope you enjoy BELOW THE FOLD.

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    3. Yeah, agreed, I think sometimes the victims are the story. And these days, there's a trend not to say the names of the perpetrators, which is fascinating, too.

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  10. BELOW THE FOLD was a great book, Dick. I can't wait to see you in Pittsburgh.

    My local paper stopped doing a print edition over a year ago. I miss it, especially Sunday mornings.

    Hallie, good point about the killers. I bet people can name the killers at Sandy Hook, Tree of Life, etc., but not many (or any) victims.

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    1. Thank you, Liz. Really appreciate all your support. See you again in a few weeks...

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    2. Now I wish I was going to Pittsburgh, and that's a sentence I never thought I'd write. Liz, one thing I've noticed recently: the press very much downplays the names of mass shooters these days. You can read multiple articles (sadly, multiple because we can't go more than a week without some horrible assault) without ever having the shooter identified by name. I applaud this development - don't let violence be a way to celebrity anymore.

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    3. Liz, it stopped?That is so depressing..

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  11. Congratulations on your new release! I read the Sunday print edition of the Cincinnati Enquirer because of the wonderful investigative stories they publish--opioid crisis and human trafficking. I heard the reporters on the opioid story speak at a public library forum.

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    1. Yes, nothing like the Sunday paper for allowing the space for a bigger in depth story..and kudos to the editors for giving the reporters time to do them!

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  12. Thanks, Margaret. I try to provide a realistic "warts and all" look at journalism in BELOW THE FOLD. But, despite all the changes in the way the media delivers the news in recent years, there's still a lot of good journalism around.

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  13. Welcome to Jungle Reds! And congratulations on your new release!

    Hank, I still read the newspaper but these days, especially after the 2016 election, I start with the comic pages and I wait until after I had my coffee and breakfast, read a happy novel or do something calming before I read the newspaper. These days too many sad news stories.

    We need to STOP naming the baddies who shoot innocent people in the media. I agree with Jacinda, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, about refusing to name the shooter in the newspaper. We need to focus more on the victims.

    The mention of mystery novels and homeless people reminded me that many novels until modern times rarely had stories about people who were NOT from noble or royal families. I think Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer was the only novel, which was actually a collection of stories about people from different walks of life.

    I think Alex Patterson had homeless characters in his novels. I remember a story (I cannot recall the author) about the First Lady and the President. It was a novel. The First Lady would go out in disguise and dress up like a homeless person.

    I am interested in reading about investigations by journalists because I learn about something that I never knew or suspected.

    Thank you.

    Diana

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    1. Thanks, Diana. Hope you can check out BELOW THE FOLD - and enjoy it. There's plenty about investigative journalism there from my character Clare Carlson.

      I understand your sentiment about not wanting to name bad people who shoot innocent victims, but that's just not possible for a journalist to do. A journalist's responsibility is to deliver the news to people - whether its bad news or good news. And the people who carry out terrible crimes are news.

      There's a wonderful documentary on HBO about Jimmy Breslin and Pete Hamill where Breslin has an exchange with someone who criticizes him for giving so much publicity to Son of Sam. Breslin tells the person (in more colorful language that I'm using here) the same thing: He's a newsman, and his job is report the news. Son of Sam is news.

      These are some of the issues I try to deal with in BELOW THE FOLD.

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    2. Diana, you are so right--and the newspaper allows you to get the news in the order you want! Sometimes I have to make my husband turn off the news on TV--it just gets to be too much . Now we allow ourselves an hour, that;' all.
      And Dick, i am so eager to see that documentary--I've heard so much about it!

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  14. Congrats to RG Belsky and thanks to Reds for this interesting post.Yes that everyone has a story if you look for it. My kind of book for sure and I am going off to order it right away. Yes, we still get a great daily paper (the "failing" NY Times on our steps before breakfast. The world at our door. I am toying with the idea of writing about the much different area where I grew up, and have been getting that home town paper ( a good one, still owned by the same family) for background.No better way to learn about what's on people's minds

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    1. Triss--that is..so brilliant. Brilliant brilliant brilliant.

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  15. Thanks, Triss. Hope you enjoy the book - and Clare!

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  16. I still subscribe to a paper paper; two in fact. Houston Chronicle and the WSJ. Unfortunately we also have killings here. I've noticed the families of the victims turn to the local news stations to tell people about their loved ones. Some hold press conferences. More do one-on-one interviews. I don't think I could handle either one. I know everyone is curious about the murderer, or alleged murderer. But at what point does the coverage become too much and encourages wanna-bes to seek out that kind of "glory?"

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    1. One of the most difficult parts of being a journalist (and I'm sure Hank can attest to this too) is having to interview the families of crime victims. It has to be done when you work in the media. But you never really get used to it...

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    2. Yes, you have to worry about that, the "glory" seekers. It's such a tough balance.

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  17. I do subscribe and read an actual newspaper every day! I could read it online but I don't like doing that so I am willing to trudge down my long steep driveway every morning to get the paper out of the tube. And in the winter time that is a very big deal.

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    1. YES!! Don't you feel so virtuous doing it in the snow? And then, sometimes, reading the soggy paper?

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  18. Sadly, you're part of a dwindling group who still gets their news from print journalism, Judi. But I have a lot of hopes for digital journalism in the future. I worked most recently as managing editor of NBCNews.com - and saw first hand the possibilities of what can be done with the news on line.

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  19. Dick, thank you so much for a wonderful day! You are amazing!

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