Conclusions

The New West article and Leo Ryan's visit to Jonestown with a delegation of family members and reporters were pivotal moments in the media coverage of the Peoples Temple.

The media was manipulated by Jim Jones and The People's Temple. Once Marshall Kilduff published his article, more and more journalists felt enabled to investigate and write about the Peoples Temple.

The media took a "big hit" when Leo Ryan's delegation was gunned down at the Kaituma airstrip. The delegation came together because family members were concerned by the New West article and subsequent media coverage of Peoples Temple.

The Next West article pushed Jones to isolate himself in Guyana as soon as possible. He kept the news between Jonestown and San Francisco as sketchy as possible. Journalists investigating Peoples Temple and Jonestown had to do so based off interviews with church and Jonestown defectors.

Tim Reiterman wrote the most well-researched, in-depth book about Jim Jones, The Peoples Temple and Jonestown called "Raven." He says many newsrooms talked about the Peoples Temple during the time leading up to Kilduff's story, but most articles were watered down because of Jones' threats.

The media could have done things differently in covering Peoploes Temple and Jonestown, but ultimately, Jim Jones was the man to blame for everything.

The media helped people to understand how and why such an atrocious event occurred with their analytical pieces that followed the Jonestown tragedy.

Some journalists tried to turn out quickie books and docudramas about Jonestown. They were not well-researched and
sensationalized the event.

In the past couple years, documentaries about The People's Temple and Jonestown have created a new wave of interest
among younger generations who did not live through the event.