Wednesday, October 27, 2010

DJ Helps "Hiccup Girl" Family

Todd Schnitt walks a fine line in murder case
As the murder case against the St. Petersburg teen known as "Hiccup Girl" spreads through the media and criminal justice system, radio personality Todd "MJ" Schnitt knows he's walking a tightrope, according to media critic Eric Deggans at tampbay.com.

Friendly with Jennifer Mee's family since the girl's problems with uncontrollable hiccupping became an international media story three years ago, Schnitt scored the only one-on-one interview with Mee's mother for WFLZ-FM's MJ Morning Show after the teen's arrest on murder charges Sunday.

When police revealed allegations Mee lured a man to a botched robbery that became a murder, media interest grew and Schnitt referred the family to local attorney John Trevena, one of the area's most media-savvy lawyers. Trevena appeared on his radio show Tuesday.

But Schnitt resists suggestions his show has painted a sympathetic picture of Mee while benefiting from his exclusive access.

Instead, the radio personality insists he has tried to present a balanced view of the case, featuring interviews with the ex-girlfriend of 22-year-old victim Shannon Griffin — whom Schnitt says he will fly to Griffin's out-of-state funeral — and presenting this morning an interview with the victim's sister, Shana Griffin.

His situation embodies the challenge media outlets face when a well-known person lands at the heart of a crime generating worldwide interest in a juiced-up, 24/7 media culture:

How do you provide the coverage everyone clamors for without making the celebrity's side look too good?




Read more here.

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