Memorials for 18 victims of Lewiston Maine mass shootings media coverage

The shootings on October 25, 2023, at a bowling alley and bar followed by a prolonged manhunt convulsed the community of Lewiston, Maine, where the victims included deaf people playing in a beanbag-throwing tournament, a father-and-son pair of bowlers, and a couple aged 76 and 73. (Reuters news)

People attend a candlelight vigil for victims of Lewiston mass shooting, at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, in Lewiston, Maine.

Echo opinion published in Media Nation by Dan Kennedy:

The Sun Journal of Lewiston, Maine, and the Portland Press Herald have dropped their paywall for coverage of the mass shootings in Lewiston on Wednesday night, which claimed what’s now reported to be 18 lives. The two papers, which are owned by the same nonprofit trust, have also published a sensitive story about some of the victims — six at the moment, with, sadly, more to come.

Meanwhile, The Boston Globe is treating this as a local story, going all-in with multiple reports. Today’s print edition includes four front-page stories, ranging from a round-up of what we know so far to a story on Maine’s gun laws. There are two opinion pieces and four more articles in the metro section covering topics such as the fear experienced at nearby Bates College and how teachers should discuss mass shootings with their students. The Globe is also running updates on its homepage.

For journalists, this is difficult, harrowing work. I’ve covered some emotionally upsetting stories, but never anything remotely like this. While we focus on the suffering of the victims, think about the reporters, too. Like first responders, journalists are performing a vital role in keeping the public informed about an ongoing tragedy.