Bauerle and the Newsworthiness of it All
Consider for a moment why the Buffalo News story about Tom Bauerle’s apparent psychiatric episode exists. This sort of thing happens every day, and when there’s no arrest, it won’t even make it into “Police & Courts”. The cops were called, so it might merit a names-redacted story in the Amherst Bee blotter.
We knew of this story on Thursday. Geoff Kelly and I looked into it, spoke with sources, and otherwise weighed its newsworthiness against the obvious privacy issues concerning a psychiatric episode of a public figure. We didn’t roll with it because (a) let the man get help; and (b) let’s don’t cheapen the seriousness of mental illness. With no arrest, we didn’t think it was worth aggressive pursuit.
The News disagreed, and I ask you to consider the question of newsworthiness.
I hope Bauerle – with whom I vehemently disagree on most everything – gets the help he needs. I hope that his right to possess firearms is curtailed, as this sort of psychiatric episode is exactly why the mental health provisions of the NY SAFE Act exist.
However, this is a personal medical matter and one affecting perhaps his neighbors, but not you or me.
Here is the audio clip everyone is talking about, from December 30th. It is chilling.
http://www.trendingbuffalo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/bauerle12-30-13.mp3