The Ethics (or Lack Thereof) of True Crime Reporting
Wrote this for my English Composition class last year. I'm not exactly great with essays, but this one got a good grade so I figured I could share it with minimal embarrassment. [May 13, 2026]
“They were telling my story about Ted Bundy, and they had never even contacted me,” says Elizabeth Kendall, who had dated the killer around the time of his crimes. It was not the first time her story had been told without her input, and it would not be the last. Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon occurrence in the crime reporting sphere; over the years, hundreds of people, not just Kendall, have been affected by gruesome crimes and had their stories turned into entertainment without their knowledge or consent. This is just one potential problem with the reporting of true crime – there’s also the matter of sensationalism when these stories are pushed out into the world, and the impact consuming said content can have on a viewer. Those who enjoy consuming true crime content and similar reporting say it’s entertainment, while those not in favor will argue it to be exploitation. Though there are points to be made on both sides, true crime reporting often leans toward the negative in its impact. True crime cases should not be allowed to be turned into entertainment for a number of reasons, including the impact it can have on victims, the impact it can have on viewers, and its sensationalized nature.
Some will argue that true crime content is little more than reporting information that is already publicly available. This does not take into consideration the fact that true crime reporting has morphed into a sort of entertainment, especially in recent years – and entertainment is often removed from reality to some degree. A 2025 blog post from the American Military University raised concern with mass media and media consolidation within true crime reporting, with 90% of news media in the United States being owned by six major organizations as of 2022 (Doyle). While already concerning on its own, this could also greatly affect the public perception of crime. As of 2024, 23 of 27 surveys conducted by Gallup since 1993 revealed that at least 60% of Americans believed there to be more crime than the year prior, despite violent crime having dropped by almost half since 1993 (Gallup). These observations suggest that the constant promotion of the most dramatic and gruesome crime can easily skew public perception, with the majority of Americans believing there to be far more crime than there truly is, and to be afraid of it as such. Mass media companies benefit from a higher number of viewers, and it does not benefit them to report crimes they see as mundane. Instead, the most profitable move is to talk about violent murders and brutal assaults, inevitably leading to an uptick in viewers. However, this will naturally lead to more paranoia from the public. This is just one problem among many.
Perhaps the largest reason true crime content shouldn’t be turned into entertainment is because of the effect it can have on victims. According to qualitative research from University of Nebraska-Lincoln scholar Kelli Boling, co-victims of crime had five main concerns with their experience with true crime media – including loss of privacy and a lack of control in how their stories were told (Boling). Frequently, victims tend to have their stories taken from them in a sense, twisted into something edgier and more marketable, and sold as a product - and they don’t even have the room to take that ownership back. The University of Miami Law Review states that, due to court records being public records, it is not legally necessary for entertainment companies to consult or notify victims and co-victims before turning their case into a production or other form of entertainment (McNulty). Without this requirement, many entertainment companies will not bother to take the extra step, jumping right into production to either cut costs or save time. This can be deeply troubling for victims, who often don’t have much legal footing to protest this treatment. Without an easily accesible way to fight back, many have to sit back and watch as what was a traumatizing event for them become’s somebody else’s evening entertainment. It’s not just that, either – it also comes down to how these victims are portrayed in said media. Lisa F. Jackson, a producer of Court TV’s Psychic Detectives, says, “A lot of films blame the victim or allow the audience to feel superior to the victim” (International Documentary Association). Because of this, she views communication with survivors in pre-production to be a top priority. It’s a crucial effort to make; victims are often portrayed in the most scandalous or intriguing light possible to maximize interest in the story, or are framed as being at fault for what occurred, and either option is bound to be harmful to the real people impacted by the crimes portrayed.
Another reason true crime should not be made into entertainment is due to the effect it can also have on those who view it. According to Dr. Childs, PhD, consuming true crime media can make us more anxious, especially if consumed frequently (Cleveland Clinic). She goes over how constant consumption of true crime content can cause the viewer to grow wary of those around them, even those they trust, with that anxiety even leading to things such as difficulty sleeping and needing to frequently reassure oneself of safety. However, this isn’t the only negative impact that constant engagement with true crime content can have. A study conducted by the National Library of Medicine suggests that consuming violent media, much like true crime, can increase desensitization to said violence (Krahé et al.). Even these short term effects are disturbing on their own, but grow more concerning when paired with an increased interest in and interaction with true crime content.
Finally, true crime content should not be turned into entertainment because of the intentional sensationalization of the media produced. There have been many instances of mass media portraying criminal cases in a manner that could hardly be described as accurate in the hope of gaining more traction – and it’s hardly a new phenomenon. In a 2023 opinion piece for the New York Times, author Sarah Weinman states, “A century ago, tabloid newspapers routinely hyped up the most lurid aspects of a crime, even if there were few verifiable facts to be had” (Weinman). Though our ways of sharing information and stories have evolved greatly, in some ways it’s still just as easy for this sort of misinformation to spread. People are not likely to fact check everything they engage with, including true crime content. Even if information is given in the most reliable way possible, there will still be an air of drama to it; drama is what sells, and what production companies will lean into. According to an article on true crime and the origins of sensationalism, it is observed how the given representations of crime operate semi-independently from the crime itself, and how the crime itself, as opposed to the direct experience of criminal acts, dictates the crime’s cultural impact (Wiltenburg). Sensationalism often leads to crimes being glorified in their pursuit of attracting viewers, with details given in a very specific manner to increase interest in the product given. This can hardly be seen as moral.
Though there will always be supporters of the true crime genre, that does not change the fact that it should not be produced or viewed as entertainment, given the impact it can have on victims, the impact it can have on viewers, and its sensationalized nature. Sources show that true crime content can have numerous negative impacts on many people involved, from the victims to the viewer themselves. They also indicate an issue with the presentation of true crime media overall, with the genre oversaturated with sensationalized retellings that either skimp on details, alter them, or cut them entirely. Altogether, there is a clear case to be made against the promotion of true crime content as entertainment. So, when deciding what to pick up as a way to pass the time, avoiding true crime content should be considered. By not engaging with the content, a clear message can be sent, increasing chances of more ethical production in the future.
