Live News - A Survival Guide - International Federation of Journalists

Live News — A Survival Guide for JournalistsBBC stringer, paid £12.50 a story, had recently been killed in Africa.“Today my children have got a father and his haven’t. What studyhave you or anybody done about the trauma of these people?”The International Center for Education of Journalists in Opatija,Croatia, organised a conference, Aftermath of Covering Conflict:Dealing with the Emotional Impact, in January 2002 co-sponsored bythe Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, and the IndianaUniversity School of Journalism. Here too it was clear that localjournalists are under the greatest stress. Elza Radulic told the conferencehow her son clung to her shivering with fear as mortarshells pounded their hometown of Zadar on the Adriatic Coast in1991. But as a journalist she had to remove his hand and go out todo her job. She not only had to worry about her own safety, butabout whether her family would be alive when she got home. Shesaid: “It was a terrible time. All of us who did this work are sufferingthe consequences.”What can journalist organisations andemployers do to help?Most journalists who report on conflict do not suffer from PTSD,but all journalists are affected to a greater or lesser extent. The firststep must be to encourage journalists to talk about their experiencesas a routine procedure after returning from a harrowingassignment. Journalists need to recognise that owning up to feelingsof depression or sadness is not an expression of weakness.These feelings are part of the body’s coping mechanism.Chris Cramer refused counselling when, while working for theBBC, he was held hostage in the Iranian Embassy siege in April1980. Now President of CNN International Networks, Cramer haschanged his attitude towards counselling (see panel).The best way to come to terms with a traumatic experience willvary from journalist to journalist. Some may be able to talk to familiesand loved ones. Others only feel comfortable talking to peoplewho have shared their experiences. Going out for a drink with colleaguesto talk about traumatic events may be enough to releasethe tension. However, there are obvious dangers in relying on thealcohol rather than the colleagues. Going for a drink can becomestaying in with a drink, while alcohol can become a problem,rather than a support. Support can be given through such schemesas the free external counselling made available to all staff at theCounselling‘should be justlike doing yourlaundry aftera trip’“The issue of posttraumaticstress counsellingin the media profession forme is no different at all fromthe introduction of safetytraining.“When you come back froman assignment, you unpackand you do your laundry.My submission … is thatthis type of counsellingshould be no different thanhaving your laundry done,except it’s your headlaundry. Some people mightchoose to have it done,others won’t. I wish toChrist I had done it 20 yearsago.”Chris Cramer, President ofCNN International, speakingat the seminar, Conflicts andWar Crimes: Challenges forCoverage, May 2000.93