Reporter's Diary: When agencies keep crime reporters guessing

CHENNAI: Why don’t some investigation agencies keep a standard operating procedure (SOP) when it comes to dishing out information to reporters who cover the beat? In most cases – whether it’s central or state agencies – officers want to control the narrative of the story through the press release and refuse to interact further with reporters.

For them, any question from reporters’ side is unwelcome. So it’s easy for them to create a WhatsApp group and just post the press notes there.

“Such groups are necessary. But, officers should be ready to interact when reporters call them for a clarification or follow up. We know they’re reading our message, but we never get a reply,” says a reporter from a leading TV channel.

Last week, there was a DVAC raid at an IAS officer’s house in TAISHA complex, Natesan Nagar. There was a press release when the raids began. It said searches were going on in 10 places across the State.

But after the raids were over, there was no information or update about seizures (if any), unlike other searches. It has been several days, and reporters in the beat are still kept in the dark.

“If the searches were in former AIADMK ministers’ houses, the DVAC would put out a second press note by evening with seizure details. Maybe to satisfy their political bosses. When it comes to the current crop of officers, the DVAC does not follow procedure. They seem to be having a different standard altogether,” another crime reporter pointed out.