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Long-Term CoverageJournalism Driven By Passion‘… we’re totally comfortable with the view that New Orleansshould survive. As a newspaper, we’re clear on that position.’In the spring, the Nieman Fellows werevisited by three journalists—a reporterand editor with The Times-Picayune inNew Orleans and a senior editor withNational Public Radio—each of whom hasbeen involved with the long-term coverageof the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, anepic storm that devastated the city of NewOrleans and many other areas along theGulf Coast. They spoke of great personalloss and of professional obligations andabout the passion they feel for a storywithout an ending that they know mustcontinue to be told. What appears belowis an edited version of the discussion thattook place during their morning visit withthe fellows.James O’Byrne, Features Editor, The Times-Picayune: The experts on trauma will tellyou that the human mind has a great deal ofresilience in dealing with trauma, becauseonce you’re removed from the traumaticevent, your ability to heal yourself is actuallyquite profound, and it’s a very limitednumber of people who have difficulty longterm. The problem with Katrina is that thetrauma is around us every day. The part youvisit is doing great but not the part you livein. The neighborhood that I drive my kidsthrough to school every day is still ruined. It’sstill empty houses—it looks like a neutronbomb hit it. So if you are a citizen of NewOrleans, you’re exposed to the trauma ona daily basis.If you’re a journalist in New Orleans,it’s hard to have to tell people’s stories.We spend all day long listening to people’sstories, and it’s important that we listen tothem and that we continue to tell them forour readers. But that takes a toll on top ofjust living in the city.Mark Schleifstein, Environmental Reporterat The Times-Picayune: [In a series of storieshe co-reported in 2002, Schleifsteinrevealed that the risk to New Orleans fromhurricanes was increasing because the protectivewetlands were disappearing and thelevees were sinking. Even a Category Twostorm, his series concluded, would putwater into the city.] I dealt with the traumaaround us by working and then overworkingand overworking and overworking until Iended up in the hospital. I ended up witha back injury and had surgery and then theday after I’m out of the hospital, I’m stillworking at home.O’Byrne: For others, there are drugs oralcohol. There are all kinds of ways to dealwith it.Schleifstein: The second I was out of thehospital I stopped taking any medication,because I didn’t want to get hooked onanything. But I was lucky, because my wifewas sane and dealt with everything and wasable to deal with the rest of my life. So I hadthat ability of doing that and not having todeal with knowing that we are now in theninth place that we have lived in the last sixmonths, and she’s going to go find a housefor us to live in. My kids were not living withus because they’re grown, so I don’t havethat to worry about. We had enough moneyto survive, as opposed to what a lot of otherpeople at the newspaper were dealing with.Even so, there were many stresses going onfrom Day One, and it could be overwhelmingif you allowed them to be.Susan Feeney, Senior Editor for Planning atNPR’s “All Things Considered”: There area lot of people on the staff who are reallystruggling, and the city has a profound lackof mental health services. It took a while butthe Dart Center folks who deal with traumain journalism came to speak to people at thenewspaper. They came in right after Katrinahit and then some months later, and I thinkit was needed. I think you would admit thatthere are still people at the paper having ahard time holding it together. [See box onpage 55 about Feeney’s efforts to raise fundsto offer assistance to many Times-Picayuneemployees who need financial help as theyrecover from the storm.]The problem withKatrina is that thetrauma is around usevery day. The partyou visit is doinggreat but not thepart you live in. Theneighborhood that Idrive my kids throughto school every day isstill ruined. It’s stillempty houses—itlooks like a neutronbomb hit it.—James O’ByrneNieman Reports / Fall 2007 19