ABC Primetime with Diana Sawyer and Brian Ross conducted an investigative study on the security of nuclear reactors on college campuses across the country. In “Radioactive Road Trip,” journalism students from schools like Berkeley, USC, Northwestern and Harvard embarked on trips to various schools to test how secure the reactors and their perimeters were. ABC set out to show their viewers that these locations are extremely unsafe and unguarded, and are prime spots for possible terrorist attacks. Although there were dangers in showing these areas and the ways the reporters gained access to the reactors, ABC did warn the appropriate people of the dangers found before the program aired. This way, possible terrorists who watched the program could not try to duplicate these plans, because theoretically, the colleges would have already taken cautionary steps to fix the problems. ABC succeeded in their purpose of exposing these security gaps, because higher up people have since begun taking note of the breaches (heads of national organizations regarding nuclear reactors were presented with the findings and were interviewed by Ross for the piece.)
A Lack of Security
The story revealed many shocking and upsetting scenes of a lack of security at these places where nuclear bombs could be made. At schools like University of Florida, Penn State, University of Maryland, and Ohio State, the reporters were easily able to gain access to the buildings housing the nuclear reactors. Doors were often left unlocked during day and night. Entrance doors were many times left completely unguarded. On several occasions, the reporters simply asked for a tour of the facility. Background checks or metal detectors were never utilized on these campuses, and many of the reporters carried large tote bags or backpacks that very well could have contained weapons of some kind. ABC documented the many instances where the students were actually able to stand within feet of the pools with uranium in them. Two reporters even posed for pictures next to these reactors.
ABC's Journalistic Integrity
The overall storytelling of the piece by ABC was well done. The story flowed together in a nice manner, which was partly because the story was told by location (schools in the Northeast were grouped together, like schools in the Southwest, etc.) There was balance because Ross took the time to get information and opinions from people whose job it is to protect these nuclear reactors from possible attacks. The visual techniques used were also beneficial to the viewer. Lots of footage the reporters took made it into the story, and this helped bring an authenticity to the piece. Instead of re-filming when one of the students was allowed into the building, the producers actually showed the footage the reporters shot while they were at the various locations. This also helped bring credibility to the story because it wasn’t just the journalists saying what happened—they had actual footage to back up their stories. Although one could argue
that this information could be dangerous in the wrong hands, ABC did a service to citizens who live near these reactors by alerting the proper authorities of the holes in security. This was investigative journalism at its best—reporters who are working for the safety of the people. The network definitely succeeded in presenting a fair and balanced piece.
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