I think we all want to treat them with the respect they deserve, though we don't always succeed. Some of our questions may seem strange or trivial. But we ask them in order to get the story right. I think one of the worst things a reporter can do is get their facts wrong about someone's loved one, and believe me, those errors, no matter how small, are zeroed in on with a vengeance once in print. Interviewing someone in their raw grief can be very intimidating.
Emotions are everywhere, and everyone is different.
We sometimes stumble all over ourselves trying to gauge the right level of sensitivity and directness in these situations, and we only have our instincts and experiences to rely on. For some journalists, those experiences include personal trauma that helps reporters better connect with other victims. Dart Fellow Frank Smyth, a Washington-based freelance reporter, covers foreign affairs. While reporting on the Gulf War, Smyth saw his partner executed. And Smyth was taken prisoner by the Iraqis for 18 days.