your opinion on an ethical issue

[Donna Halper <dlh@donnahalper.com>]

This one isn't specifically a radio query, but it certainly applies to TV 
and print media, so I thought I would get the opinions of the list 
members.  You are all aware of the so called "Hockey Dad" trial-- the guy 
who beat another guy to death after their kids' hockey practice in  a case 
of "sports rage".  Yesterday, the accused dad's son was on the 
stand.  Radio of course aired his voice and some of his testimony, but I 
was pleased that TV (I watched channels 4 and 5) did not show his 
face.  The kid is 12, and it would seem to me that it's traumatic enough to 
have watched your dad beating on somebody (whether it was self defence or 
not is for the jury to decide) but why put the kid on TV?  CNN did not show 
his face either.  All explained they were not showing his face due to his 
age.  So imagine my surprise to see the kid's face on the front page of the 
metro section of the Boston Globe today.  Personally, I think this was not 
a totally ethical decision and exploited the kid.  I know we have some TV 
people on this list-- when do you show a kid's face and when don't you? I 
say the kid was not the story-- his dad was.  Protect the kid's 
privacy.  What do the rest of you think?