Pondering Certain Flowers

The other day I learned of a new t.v. show that's in the works: a type of reality series. The premise of the show will apparently involve following crime victims as they learn of the impending release of an incarcerated offender whose crime effected their life, or the lives of someone close to them.
This concept really made me feel ambivalent. On the one hand, such a series has the potential to educate viewers and raise awareness of issues related to the legal rights of crime victims within the criminal justice system. On the other hand, it feels exploitative, as the series is obviously looking to film emotionally-laden scenes that will hinge on the anxieties, anger, sadness, and hopes of victims and survivors of crime.
As a story-teller myself, I understand that emotions are critical to a story's impact. So the idea of this t.v. series made me wonder and question the nature of story-telling. Story-telling has always been part of the human experience, and is usually regarded as a noble effort. But is it nobler to invent fictional scenes of great emotion, than to document direct experience of such emotions? There are many powerful documentaries that educate and empower by revealing the emotional impact of events. Are those different -- somehow nobler? -- than emotions that are exposed and followed by tabloid media? Is one story mode "better" than another?
I do not have the answer to these questions, but find myself wondering about the role of the story-teller. What do you think?