Disaster and Crisis Coverage - International News Safety Institute

Disaster and Crisis Coverage
Taking on a watchdog role to report the news can be difficult but rewarding.
There also can be a personal price to pay, especially when traumatic events are
part of the equation. This chapter addresses two important issues:
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How journalists interact with victims, survivors and eyewitnesses of
tragedy
How they cope with the emotional impact of trauma on their own
psyches
Dr. Frank Ochberg, a pioneer in the study of journalism and trauma, believes
understanding basic concepts of traumatic stress can help journalists do a better
job of covering crisis and help us take better care of ourselves. The media’s role
becomes even more important when disaster strikes.
“The way journalists cover these events can have a profound effect on how a
community reacts in the aftermath of a tragedy,” says Dr. Ochberg, chairman
emeritus and founder of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma.
He stresses that during times of extreme shock, trauma and tragedy, it is
important that peoples’ thoughts, feelings and behavior be reported accurately.
That kind of precise newsgathering helps the public digest what is happening
and provides a framework for how they can begin dealing with it.
This chapter draws on material from the Dart Center and other media
organizations that have made journalism and trauma part of their agenda. It was
not designed to be a definitive guide, but rather to introduce important concepts
and to make the case for journalists to take trauma seriously.
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