Tales of the ‘Angel-faced killer’ or ‘Foxy Knoxy’ have captivated audiences on an international scale, with the murder of British exchange student, Meredith Kercher, becoming a media sensation and debated topic within Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States in particular. Amanda Knox was convicted and imprisoned for the death of her roommate in 2007 and following a lengthy appeal process was recently acquitted of the crime on the 3rd of October 2011. The following articles discuss the value and newsworthiness that is attributed to criminal cases, especially when there is a female, sexual element involved. They also explore the impact that public relations has had on influencing the media and the common spectator.
Sacco, V.F. (1995). Media Constructions of Crime. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 539(1), 141-154. doi. 10.1177/0002716295539001011
The author of the article is a Professor of Sociology at Queen’s University and has published a plethora of articles and books pertaining to the study of criminal events. With a strong background in criminology and urban sociology, Sacco is particularly interested in the public perception of crime and the sensational publicity afforded to certain cases. ‘Media Constructions of Crime’ addresses the concept of news values and how crime constitutes a large part of media reportage and discussion. Sacco argues that the perspective of the police is often privileged and glorified in order to illustrate their effectiveness to audiences. The dramatization of crimes involving atypical circumstances or a celebrity element is also addressed, where the media distinguishes clear villains from victims in order to present a compelling narrative to audiences. The article is well researched with reference to other elite criminology and media journals and uses infamous case studies such as the Menendez Brothers’ shotgun murders, the O.J. Simpson trial and Lorena Bobbit incident, in order to exemplify its arguments. Sacco also comments on the shifting interest and evolving definition of appropriateness within the media landscape, as highly sexualized and controversial crimes that would not traditionally have been covered become front page and headline material.
Burleigh, Nina. (2011, October 5). Amanda Knox: Fascination With ‘The Evil Female’. CNN International Edition.
Author, journalist and contributing editor to Salon.com and Elle Magazine, Nina Burleigh is a respected writer who also acts as an adjunct professor at Columbia University. Having written the non-fiction novel The Fatal Gift of Beauty: The Italian Trials of Amanda Knox, Burleigh is uniquely qualified to comment on the acquittal of Amanda Knox and offer informed opinions on the treatment and perception of the case within the media. The article was published online by CNN International, which is one of the largest and most reputable news organizations within the world. CNN International covers a wider variety of issues ranging from current affairs to the arts, politics and business. Burleigh’s article is an opinionative piece that criticizes the prosecution and public’s vilification of the female while ignoring the male criminal element. The online story adopts a unique angle that focuses on the persecution of Knox rather than on the actual acquittal, arguing that the Italian mindset is predisposed towards a negative and mistrustful view of beautiful women. Sacco’s arguments about the sensational and celebrity status attributed to crimes involving a sexualized aspect or a compelling perpetrator are relevant to Burleigh’s article, as both authors argue that many other crucial facets of a criminal case are neglected as a result of the media’s desire to focus on what they deem the most valuable and newsworthy element.
Pisa, Nick. (2011, October 3). Guilty: Amanda Knox Looks Stunned as Appeal Against Her Murder Conviction is Rejected. Mail Online.
Pisa’s article is a remarkable example of journalistic misconduct, as it publishes a false outcome of the Amanda Knox trial in its efforts to be ahead of other competing news outlets. The headline reads ‘Guilty,’ with the story offering a fake description of a distraught Knox surrounded by her weeping friends and family. The level of fabrication is astounding, with the article containing fake quotes from the prosecution and stating that Knox and Sollecito were taken back to their respective prisons and were due to undergo suicide watch and routine psychological evaluations. The portions of the article that refer to the circumstances of the murder and the subsequent investigation and prosecution are accurate, implying that research has been performed and that the predicted guilty verdict was simply overlaid on top of the piece. The article appeared on the website Mail Online or dailymail.co.uk that is owned by the United Kingdom newspaper the Daily Mail. Despite its popularity, the online news-site is extremely tabloid-like and is not to be trusted without outside corroboration or a subsequent follow-up report. The article exemplifies the competitive nature of journalism and how news ethics that are hinged upon the truth are often sacrificed in an effort to be the first to break the story.
Sawyer, Diane. (2011, October 3). Amanda Knox Acquitted, Innocent and Set Free. ABC News (Television broadcast).
Hosted by veteran news-anchor Diane Sawyer, the ABC News Special Report is a breaking news edition of the Amanda Knox Acquittal. The report contains live footage of the judge’s verdict, capturing the flood of emotions that ensue after Amanda Knox and Raffaelo Sollecito have been cleared of the murder. Interviews with on-scene correspondents, Elizabeth Vargas and Josh Elliott, are featured towards the end of the segment, summarizing the reasons for the appeal’s success and proffering a first-hand account of the verdict and the public’s reactions. The creation of a special report to address the appeal demonstrates the centrality of the Amanda Knox case within the American media, with the ABC team promising full details on their website and in their World News nightly report. The news report demonstrates a unique reversal of the victim and villain roles referred to by Sacco, with the reporters’ commentary empathizing with the persecuted Knox and describing the hostile responses aimed at the Italian prosecutor Giuliano Mignini, who spearheaded the witch-hunt against Knox. The ABC special edition is very well rounded, using live footage, ongoing host and on-site reporter commentary, identifying broader issues, such as the fact that the Italian justice system was also being tried by the public, and concluding on a sensitive note by reminding viewers to remember the victim and her family.
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