Photo illustration by Slate. Photo by Tara Moore/Getty Images. “Guilty Pleasures” by Laura Miller, August 2019.
Int.
Eight years ago when I was writing Harry Potter fanfiction (because a 12 year old can write better than a TERF), Serial took the podcast world by storm with the idea that they will tell one story — a true story — over the course of a season. While it wasn’t the first true crime podcast, their examination of a murder that occurred before I was born introduced many to the genre, and with Adnan Syed’s conviction being vacated on September 20th, 2022, more have witnessed the impact of true crime. But as we all know, eyewitness testimony isn’t reliable…which means we must ask, does this slay? To translate for those among us who aren’t Gen Z, is this ethical?
This genre also exists in formats other than podcasts. Please tell me I’m not the only one addicted to Investigation Discovery documentaries…if only true crime trivia was a major! I take comfort in the fact that Chartable Top Podcast Charts tells me that I’m not alone— as of February 24, 2023 three true crime podcasts dominated as the top five podcasts in the country. That just shows how mainstream it is to find enjoyment in dark subjects.
The main points include: the capitalization of true crime, the effects of the exploitation, and finally how to ethically consume–UNLIKE Dahmer–your dose of the macabre…
The Commodification of Murder
Let’s start by looking at the commodification of true crime and for what reason we consume it. but first, a word from a sponsor. Talking about murder makes me hungry, which is why this speech is sponsored by HelloFresh. The perfect option for broke college students who infamously have complete access to kitchens. Subscribe with our promo code: ELWOOD1 to get $10 off your first six meals. That’s a criminally low price.
Photo credit: HelloFresh.
Are you uncomfortable? Upbeat adbreaks are a constant in podcasts - even when the subject is heavy. The Miss Pamela J on TikTok July 5, 2022, posted a video with a comment where a user called out the insincerity of an episode about their mom’s murdered friend. The podcast hosts laughed the entire time and plugged a HelloFresh sponsorship. This sparked a debate leading to the claim that the True Crime genre was “exploitative.” The disrespect of the genre has become evident, from profiting off of tragedy to simply being insensitive towards victims and their families rather than being used as a memorial. Not only are these influencers being irresponsible, but also those funding their insensitivities.
But why do we allow it? Digital Trends on January 25, 2022 explains: humans are entertained by true crime for many reasons, including our innate human curiosity and our survival instinct. Dissecting a criminal’s mind and figuring out how to not get serial-killed. Who hasn’t watched a show like Criminal Minds and stated: “I could survive that.” Don’t lie. It’s also human nature to be competitive. The sensationalism of true crime may also come from its largest demographic of consumers which, according to a study done by YouGov America, are women. And you know what kind of women I’m talking about…
Photo credit: YouGov America. “Half of Americans Enjoy True Crime, and More Agree It Helps Solve Cold Cases” by Taylor Orth, September 2022.
Next we will discuss the effects of the exploitation of true crime, but first, a word from BetterHelp. Do your thoughts scare you? Do you think your mind is a true crime documentary–uh, on the wrong side of one? Then you need some Better Help.
Photo credit: DigoBrands. “BetterHelp” by Aiden Milan, January 2021.
The spike in true crime stories has led to an uptick in cases being covered repeatedly, resulting in families reliving those experiences. Two individuals have gone viral for trying to get their stories removed from platforms. This past year, according to E! (Entertainment) News, June 15, 2022, Jordan Preston posted multiple videos begging for the removal of the Hulu documentary Dead Asleep. The documentary is about her sister’s murder and somehow manages to center the murderer in the production instead of her sister - You know…the one who was murdered? In an NPR interview on October 2, 2022, Washington Post reporter Bethonie Butler explains the difference between highlighting the victims and revictimizing. She goes on to explain that it’s difficult to avoid given what the genre is, but there are good examples out there like the Netflix docuseries “The Keepers.” Unlike Dead Asleep, “The Keepers” centers around the nun who was murdered and those who cared about her.
The previous Digital Trends article explained that our obsession with darker subjects can stem from relief and adrenaline, which can be addicting… like Stardew Valley. However, much like the overconsumption of Stardew Valley, overconsumption of the darker subjects can corrupt your mind, especially when the source material is filled with destruction, malice, and gore. On top of that, are we even getting the full story when it comes to podcasts? According to Dr. Marilyn McMahon of Deakin Law School last accessed February 24, 2022, we may be receiving incomplete information from creators because in her words, creators “aren’t bound by legal principles and statutes” meaning they can point the finger at whomever they please without the legal consequences. However, they would still be liable if they make any sort of false statement and could be sued for defamation, explains Mikaela Gross of CDAS, LLC–a law firm in New York specializing in media.
How to Ethically Consume the Real World
Now that we’ve discussed the effects of the exploitation of true crime, we will talk about what you can do to help, after a word from Hunt-a-Killer. Are you ready to solve a fake crime from the comfort of your own home with no ties to real life or real repercussions? The promo code for 50% off your first purchase is ETHICAL50.
Photo credit: Ciscion, PR Newswire. “Hunt A Killer Wins Best Gift Awards and Launches New Site Ahead of Holiday Season” by Hunt a Killer, October 2022.
After doing my research, I’ve found that… It's easier to consume ethical porn than these types of media in the environment we have now. How can we enjoy this media without damaging our minds or funding unethical creators who do more harm than good? Something that I’ve done is block those who create the unethical content and found ethical media instead. One piece of media is Paramount+’s The Girl in The Box based on the true story of Colleen Stan. Colleen worked closely with Paramount’s crew to provide authenticity to the film, according to Stylist last updated September 9, 2022.
Instead of going through the hours of research like I did, I have a handout with a multitude of ethical creators and content. There are petitions, go-fund-mes, and charities all created by families of victims, as well as extra sources for each of the 50 states in case you or a loved one may have been a victim of a violent crime and may qualify for assistance from your state. Just visit https://tinyurl.com/5drd5spa. Finally, linked below is a video essay on YouTube by Shaniya or "Shanspeare" where they delve deeper into what was touched on in this post.
Closing
Today, we discussed the capitalization of true crime, the effects of it, and finally some ways to give back. This post wouldn’t be made possible without our generous and totally real sponsors. Disclaimer: Brooklyn Elwood and affiliates are not liable for anything having to do with HelloFresh, BetterHelp, or Hunt-A-Killer.
Works Cited
“Podcast Charts & Rankings - Chartable, Apple, Spotify, and More.” Chartable, https://chartable.com/charts.
Chung, Gabrielle. “Murder Victim's Sister Asking Hulu to Remove Dead Asleep Doc Done without Family's Permission.” E! Online, E! Entertainment News, 16 June 2022, https://www.eonline.com/news/1334735/murder-victims-sister-asking-hulu-to-remove-dead-asleep-doc-done-without-familys-permission.
Cormack, Morgan. “Girl in the Box Could Be the Most Terrifying True Crime Film of the Year.” Stylist, The Stylist Group, 1 Sept. 2022, https://www.stylist.co.uk/entertainment/film/girl-in-the-box-paramount-plus-true-crime-film-documentary/703036.
Gross, Mikaela. “Legal and Ethical Considerations for Your True Crime Podcast.” Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard LLP, 2 Aug. 2022, https://cdas.com/legal-and-ethical-considerations-for-your-true-crime-nonfiction-podcast-serial/.
J, Pamela, director. TikTok, 5 July 2022, https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRGVxfA2/. Accessed 24 Feb. 2023.
McMahon, Marilyn. “The Problem with True Crime Podcasts.” This., Deakin University, 14 June 2019, https://this.deakin.edu.au/society/the-problem-with-true-crime-podcasts#:~:text='True%20crime%20podcasts%20usually%20tell,someone%20guilty%20beyond%20reasonable%20doubt.
Orth, Taylor. “Half of Americans Enjoy True Crime, and More Agree It Helps Solve Cold Cases.” YouGov, 14 Sept. 2022, https://today.yougov.com/topics/entertainment/articles-reports/2022/09/14/half-of-americans-enjoy-true-crime-yougov-poll.
Persaud, Christine. “Why Is America so Obsessed with True Crime?” Digital Trends, Digital Trends, 25 Jan. 2022, https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/true-crime-obsession/.
Rascoe, Ayesha, and Mia Estrada. “True Crime Has Never Been More Popular. but Is It Ethical?” NPR, NPR, 2 Oct. 2022, https://www.npr.org/2022/10/02/1126453675/true-crime-has-never-been-more-popular-but-is-it-ethical.