How to do a death knock and get the story!

To people who are not journalists or have no interest in being a journalist, a death knock is often viewed as macabre or something horrible that reporters do ‘just to get a story’.

To me though (and I’d imagine many journalists) a death knock is not just about getting a story but allowing family and friends of a lost loved one to express their feelings for that person in tribute.

Now I know that sounds like I’m trying to justify the seemingly ‘nasty’ job of knocking on someone’s door whose relative has just died, asking for a story, but it’s true.

I’ve done loads of death knocks and found that 9/10 the recipient(s) has usually been pleased, honoured even, that the local press want to do a tribute story to their dead loved one.

It might sound odd, but in the main people tend to largely be okay with talking to someone who is not connected with the family, so not wrapped up in grief in the same way.

I guess it could be viewed as a sort of therapeutic exercise. To be allowed time to talk and talk about the happy memories of a recently deceased loved one, to express sadness, to sob etc; knowing that the person asking the questions is a stranger who is keen to listen and unlikely to get upset by what you say.

Of course I imagine my ‘success’ at doing death knocks, as in the cases of other reporters, has also come with the way I’ve approached the situation too.

If you knock on someone’s door and basically say: “Hi there, I’m from the X paper and want to know how you feel about the sudden death of your son/daughter”, you’re likely to get the door slammed in your face and rightly so!

It is far better to be apologetic and sympathetic about their loss and to show a dignified and respectful edge, as you would expect others to be if you were in that situation.

Be polite, understanding, mindful of their feelings and likely upset. Tell them your name, the name of the media you represent, why the you want to do the story, how it will be approached, how it is intended as a positive news story about their lost loved one, if that’s what it is. In most cases it will be.

Sometimes you’ll find that a reporter might interview the parent(s)/family/friends of someone who has died after causing the death of another(s). People who were close to a gunman perhaps who has killed others then himself.

Even though the final story in totality is unlikely to be ‘positive’ in the way that a story about the tragic death of a young and innocent child is likely to be, it doesn’t mean that the people being interviewed don’t deserve the same level of respect and honesty.

So honesty is definitely the best policy when tackling death knocks, whoever the recipient(s), and always remember to dress in a respectful manner too as you should every day working as a journalist, for you never know what each new day will bring in this job!

You may have a picture of the deceased that has been circulated to all media but there is no harm asking if they have any others as well.

It is unlikely that you'll be covering a death knock without the prior knowledge of your news editor or editor so take their advice on collecting pictures, whether or not a photographer will be attending with you or whether you will be expected to take a picture of a picture.

In all cases, make sure you know who owns the copyright of the picture as your media will need to know this before using it. If it's a professional print you’re likely to find a copyright ownership stamp or label on the reverse. In any case, you should always enquire about copyright before using any image provided by a third party.