By JACLYN HARRIS
Student Reporter
According to an article by Taylor Orth from YouGovAmerican,” Half of Americans say they enjoy the genre of true crime, including 13% who say it’s their favorite genre.”
People consume true crime content in a variety of different ways. Amy Presley, the audio-media coordinator for FM90, said, “I consume true crime in the form of ‘48 Hours,’ the television show, ‘Dateline’ and documentaries. Secondly, it would be a podcast for sure.”
Others choose podcasts almost every time, like Maddisun Fowler, student media coordinator and mass media instructor.
Some people say they are drawn to true crime content for the horror aspect.
“The fact that it’s true is just on another level of scary because it’s things that have actually happened. It could happen to anyone, you know, or yourself at any time,” said Stevi Breshears, digital communications coordinator for Panhandle PBS.
People consume true crime for entertainment, but it can also teach people about potential dangers and to be more aware of the world around them.
“I watched true crime for entertainment purposes, but it’s also taught me to always be aware of my surroundings because anything can happen,” Kenna Moss, a mass media major, said.
Fowler said that she learns “there is evil in the world.” The genre creates a community of “curious people talking about violent stories that people’s families sometimes don’t really understand,” Presley said .
Sometimes there is a call to action when it comes to cases that are unsolved. Breshears said, “In the Gabby Petito case we’re invested in the case and finding out these details and putting things together.”
Fan’s say they still have a lot of empathy when it comes to these true events. “I feel like many cases after a while kind of go cold if they don’t have any leads and that’s really sad. Especially if somebody did pass away or get seriously injured,” Moss said.
With the rise of the genre, some people are worried about desensitization. “I think it actually could desensitize people because I think it starts becoming just a name, especially when it comes to the victims. I think the victims get forgotten a lot in some of these documentaries. It’s all about the person who killed them,” Presley said.
Other times focusing on the facts helps to keep things in perspective, according to Fowler.
“There are different books and shows and movies and podcasts. I feel like it kind of blurs the lines between fiction and reality. On one hand, it could make you more prepared for something to happen. But on the other hand, it can also be like it was just a podcast I listened to or just a show that I watched, ”Breshears said.
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