NBC News Paying for Interviews with Family of Victim in Pistorius Murder Trial

“Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius is currently on trial for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp, and one network has already secured a deal with the victim’s family in their coverage of the trial proceedings. NBC News is paying Steenkamp’s family for their cooperation in a series of interviews during their coverage.

An NBC News spokesperson explained that the British unit of Peacock Productions will be paying a “very modest licensing fee” to the family, which will “cover ‘materials’ that will be used in three documentaries that Peacock is producing for ‘various outside clients.'” June Steenkamp, the victim’s mother, appeared on the Today Show Tuesday in what was billed on the show site as “her first live interview since the trial started.”

The issue of paying individuals involved in big news stories has been an ethically complicated one, and networks have been doing it with more frequency in the past few years.

Mediaite has been covering the Pistorius trial with daily live feeds.

[photo via screengrab]

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Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac

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