Improvement to ABC online news: underacted files on the JFK assassination has released

Suggestions for Improving ABC News’ Coverage of the JFK Assassination File Release
Article reviewed: “JFK assassination files released as Trump accuses government of ‘deep state'” (ABC News, 19 March 2025)

ABC News’ coverage of the recently declassified JFK assassination documents successfully captures public attention by highlighting Donald Trump’s provocative comments about a “deep state” conspiracy. However, the article could benefit from several enhancements to improve its journalistic depth, historical resonance, and digital storytelling.

• Human Interests Beyond Political Commentary

The article dedicates significant attention to Trump’s framing of the release as a deep state issue. While this is undoubtedly newsworthy, the focus on political drama overshadows the historical importance of the files themselves. Readers are left with limited understanding of what the documents reveal, what remains redacted, and why this matters.

The ABC one briefly acknowledges the decades-long debate over JFK’s assassination but offers little background for younger readers or  who may be less familiar with the case.

Suggestion: Include a brief summary or timeline of key historical events related to the assassination and prior investigations (e.g. the Warren Commission, the House Select Committee). This would anchor the story historically and help readers grasp why the document release is still relevant.

Image source: Screenshot of ABC news  website(Left) and Washington Post website(Right).The pictures shows that different emphasis and depth to the event.

• Lack of Interactive and Supporting Document 

The article is text-heavy and lacks visual elements that could help illustrate the complexity and weight of the release. By contrast, The legacy media Washington Post provides an interactive and clear feature that includes document scans both unredacted and redacted, annotations, timelines, and detailed summaries of specific revelations (Washington Post, 2025).

Image source:Screenshot of Washington Post website shows clear and perceptual intuition between unredacted and redacted files.

Suggestion: Embed cites from the released documents, images of key pages, or simple infographics. Even a short bullet-point list of notable takeaways from the files would increase engagement and information clarity.

• Lack of Visual Hierarchy and Section Markers

  The article presents its information in a single flatly uninterrupted block. Without striking headings, bullet points, or highlighted sections, the text lacks visual anchors that could help guide readers through content.

Image source:Screenshot of subheadings from ABC news website(Left) and Washington Post website(Right).

Suggestion: Add subheadings such as “What the Files Contain,” “Trump’s Reaction,” or “Public and Expert Response.” This helps organize the narrative and improves reader comprehension.