The True Crime Craze: The ethics and the legal pitfalls of being entertained by tragedy
True Crime South Africa podcast host Nicole Engelbrecht says listeners and viewers must ensure they consume ethically produced true crime content.
Lester Kiewit speaks to Nicole Engelbrecht, host of the True Crime South Africa podcast, about the explosive growth of the true crime genre and its impact on audiences.
Listen below.
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Another day, another true-crime documentary, series or podcast.
True crime content has surged in popularity, captivating audiences with its gripping narratives.
It's a big bucks industry, but it comes at a cost. Both ethical and legal.
Engelbrecht says the popularity of true crime is more of a resurgence than a completely new trend:
"If we look back at the 70s and 80s, the aunties had their True Detective magazines delivered to their doors and had it hidden under their mattresses."
- Nicole Engelbrecht, Creator/host -True Crime South Africa podcast
"But with the accessibility and visibility we have now, we're certainly seeing a surge in the interest of the genre."
- Nicole Engelbrecht, Creator/host -True Crime South Africa podcast
But popularity aside, it is an ethical minefield, admits Engelbrecht.
Creators face criticism for sensationalising people's tragedies.
Producers and content creators must also navigate defamation and other legal risks.
"Obviously, it is the true stories of people's absolute tragedies and the worst days of their lives."
- Nicole Engelbrecht, Creator/host -True Crime South Africa podcast
"I think a lot of the stuff we're seeing coming out of America specifically is very dramatised."
- Nicole Engelbrecht, Creator/host -True Crime South Africa podcast
Engelbrecht says creating content purely for entertainment is problematic and does not serve the victims of crime or the consumers of the content.
"They are often blurring the lines between fact and fiction, which is leading to these lawsuits."
- Nicole Engelbrecht, Creator/host -True Crime South Africa podcast
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Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.