My heart goes out to John Balson’s family (The life and tragic death of John Balson: how a true crime producer documented his own rising horror, 14 August). As a young journalist in my 20s, I worked for a “true life” magazine and, as time went on, I too felt increasing “ethical regret” at what I was doing. For example, I was asked to door-step a family whose murdered daughter was being exhumed.
I was also sent abroad and asked to write lurid exposés on local “love rats”, which I didn’t feel able to refuse. In the end, I left and retrained in a career where I still ask people about their life experiences, but I use them to help, not to sensationalise them. I think that journalists, documentary makers and viewers need to be honest with themselves about their own ethical boundaries and take note if “ethical regret” is building. John perhaps felt the need to be a breadwinner, and I have nothing but sympathy. Maybe all of us who watch true‑crime programmes on television should bear some responsibility for this as well – and I include myself in that category.
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