Princewill Pius
There’s no denying that going undercover as an investigative journalist can come with its own set of risks — both for the reporter and the accused. One episode of To Catch a Predator, in particular, came with some serious controversy. According to Esquire, in 2006, Bill Conradt, a potential predator, stopped responding to messages sent out by Chris Hansen’s team of decoys. The solution? Getting the police involved, then heading over to Terrell, Texas, where Conradt lived, in an attempt to interview him. Tragically, the whole production was halted when Conradt committed suicide with both the police and the TCAP crew outside his home.
The whole disaster of the sting operation caused a massive controversy for NBC and resulted in a settlement with the victim’s family. So, did Hansen take any of the blame? The Columbia Journalism Review (via The Ethical Journalist: Making Responsible Decisions in the Pursuit of News), reported that Hansen “felt bad” about the tragedy “on a human level,” however, his exact quote was: “If you’re asking, do I feel responsible, no. I sleep well at night.”
NBC pulled the plug on TCAP the following year. A decade later, Hansen reiterated his position on Conradt’s death to Vice. “It wasn’t comfortable,” he said, adding, “We’ve been absolutely transparent about our methodology—who the decoys are, where the police are, etc. … There has always been a debate about shaming in enterprise journalism. I’m not the moral arbiter of society.”
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
Written by: Nicki
