If you've never spent time in a newsroom, it can be hard to understand how and why news directors decide what stories to run with. Heck, sometimes it's hard even if you *have* spent time in a newsroom. Two articles this week from the Poynter Institute shed light on two recent news events, each controversial in its own way.
First, an interview with KUSA-TV's news director about the station's coverage of the "balloon boy" incident.
Next, Carol Fowler, news director at WFLD-TV, explains how her station obtained and decided to run the graphic video of Derrion Albert's beating.
Both articles provide great insight into the considerations and decisions made by each station in the face of what would become national stories.