Responsible reporting distinguishes between:
* What is confirmed
* What witnesses claim
* What investigators suspect
* What remains unknown
* What has been proven
Those distinctions may make a story less dramatic, but they make it more truthful.
## Why Motels Become Part of Sensational Stories
Motels frequently appear in crime and scandal headlines because society has developed strong associations between motels and privacy.
Unlike a family home or church building, a motel room is temporary and relatively anonymous.
That can make the location seem mysterious.
But a motel room is simply a place where people stay.
Travelers use motels for countless ordinary reasons: vacations, work trips, emergencies, overnight stops, family travel, and temporary accommodation.
Therefore, the location alone should not be treated as evidence of wrongdoing.
If a person dies in a motel, the circumstances surrounding the death matter far more than the address on the building.
Was the death natural?
Was there an accident?
