By Bryce Spadafora, Contributing Writer
In the April 20 edition of The Bona Venture, staff writer Nicholas Gallo covered student concerns surrounding SBU-TV’s coverage of last week’s active shooter drill. Gallo’s article failed to accurately portray SBU-TV’s involvement with the drill and following coverage.
On Wednesday, April 18, SBU-TV took to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to bring our viewers live updates on two active-shooter scenarios unfolding on campus. Gallo claimed that SBU-TV also used Snapchat to cover the drill. While our reporters may have personal Snapchat accounts, SBU-TV does not run or broadcast from an official Snapchat account.
Gallo went on to label the scenarios as, “seemingly confidential simulations.” St. Bonaventure University made efforts to keep the drill as transparent as possible.
On April 12, the university hosted a panel with local law enforcement officials to prepare the campus community for the drill.
Before the presentation, the university released a PowerPoint with details on what initial law enforcement response to an active shooter would look like. The PowerPoint also explained what would happen once law enforcement arrived on campus.
The details in the PowerPoint match up with the events that unfolded on campus last Wednesday.
After the drill, the university hosted a mock press conference for campus media to learn the details of the drill and interact with area law enforcement. SBU-TV, along with TAPinto Greater Olean, attended the press conference.
SBU-TV’s involvement started long before last Wednesday. Gary Segrue, director of Safety and Security, approached SBU-TV’s advisor, Professor Anna Bulszewicz, a lecturer in the Jandoli School of Communication, earlier this semester about cooperation during the drill.
The purpose of SBU-TV’s cooperation with Safety and Security was for reporters to get firsthand experience covering an active shooting and for the university to get visual documentation of the event. SBU-TV accomplished both tasks last week.
In Gallo’s article, one student claimed that SBU-TV’s coverage gave a potential shooter, “every loophole to get out of law enforcement hands.” Another student agreed that the coverage, “Gave a step-by-step tutorial of how to get around protocols.”
This week, SBU-TV’s staff carefully reviewed our coverage of the drill. SBU-TV did not find that any content from last week’s newscast or social media posts would give a potential shooter an advantage over law enforcement.
SBU-TV provided viewers with a timeline of law enforcement preparation leading up to the drill and a recap of the scenario that unfolded in the John J. Murphy Professional Building. SBU-TV also informed viewers of the “Run. Hide. Fight” advice by the university to keep students safe during a shooting.
At SBU-TV, our priority is the wellbeing of our viewers. Throughout the semester, our reporters have strived to keep the campus community informed and aware. SBU-TV does this through bringing our viewers facts, regardless of how sensitive a subject might be. We will continue to uphold this duty in future semesters.
It is SBU-TV’s hope that St. Bonaventure never has to experience an active shooter. However, should that day come, SBU-TV will continue bringing you the coverage you need to stay safe and secure.
