The photos, videos and writings that the Virginia Tech mass killer Cho Seung-Hui sent to NBC news have been a problem for lot of editors. On the one hand, there's certainly news value in the material. It's like getting a glimpse into the sadly deranged mind of the worst mass murderer in modern American history.

But on the other hand, many feel that the images are too disturbing and also accomplish what the killer wanted, to air his imaginary grievances to the world. Most editors appear to have split the difference, using some of the photos but trying not to overplay them.

That seems about right. To have reported that Cho sent the package to NBC news but then to use none of the material would have left people wondering exactly what was in the package.
More compelling, at least to me, are the details that are coming out now about the tormented life of this young man, whose mind finally snapped. The more imporant debate may be about how we as a society balance each individual's privacy rights against the need to intervene before a tragedy takes place. It seems clearer with every passing day that this man had been in a mental downward spiral for a long time.

Editor and Publisher, the premier trade magazine of the newspaper industry, has done a roundup of how editors around the country handled the material that was sent to NBC news. E & P's website often features roundups and commentary about how the newspaper industry is handling a particular story, so you may want to bookmark the site. It's a good place to visit to stay informed on how the news is being handled. Another good site is CJR daily. Produced by the Columbia Journalism Review, it features real-time media criticism. CJR daily is particularly good with commentary about how political campaigns are being covered.