Journalism as the Fourth Emergency Service: Trauma and Resilience
Inspiring Practice
New York et al.: Peter Lang (2024), xviii, 257 pp.
Contains figures, index, web directory pp. 241-243
ISBN 9781636672007 (pbk); 9781636671987 (pdf)
Institution of author: University of Sheffield
"Journalists have often been considered the "fourth emergency service". They are first on the scene, alongside paramedics, fi re and police, running towards danger rather than away, and providing independent, veritable and crucial information in the public interest. And yet, unlike frontline workers, little (if any) counselling or training is offered to journalists on how to deal with the horrors they witness, and the trauma they absorb from being at the forefront of human suffering. Further, limited to no training is given to student journalists on how to prepare themselves for trauma, be it from war scenes to the everyday "death knock". New research is demonstrating a rise in post-traumatic stress disorder amongst journalists resulting from the "everyday" trauma they encounter. There is also a noticeable increase in reluctance from new journalists to undertake emotionally distressing assignments. Editors in industry are now calling for educators to invest in curricula that centre around understanding how to cope with distress and trauma, and why work like this is vital to facilitate the work journalists do hold power to account. This book investigates the cause and effect of trauma reporting on the journalist themselves and provides a toolkit for training journalists and practitioners to build resilience and prepare themselves for trauma. It draws on national and international experiences enabling readers to gain valuable insight into a range of contemporary issues and the contexts in which they may work. This edited book offers a blend of academic research studies, evidence-based practitioner interviews, and teaching resources drawing on the experiences of journalists and academics nationally and internationally." (Abstract)
INTRODUCTION
1 Introduction / Emma Heywood and Lisa Bradley, 3
2 Journalism as an Emergency Service and the Psychological Impact / Gabriella Tyson, 9
3 Emergency Frontline Workers Offer Five Lessons for Journalist Wellbeing / Erin Smith and Alexandra Wake, 19
4 News Feature: Rachael Venables: “There is life outside the trauma” / Lisa Bradley, 29
SECTION I: FIRST HAND TRAUMA
5 News Feature: Rory Carroll: “I wasn’t traumatised. It was the job and it was what I had signed up for” / Lisa Bradley, 33
6 Writing as Balm: Humanitarian Journalism, “Body 422”, and the Infliction and Transformation of Trauma / Tiania Stevens and Jamie Parr, 37
7 Perceived Organisational Support After a Traumatic Event: A Case Study of How Slovak Newsrooms Coped with the Murder of Investigative Journalist Ján Kuciak / Marina Urbániková and Lenka Haniková, 49
8 Covering the Climate-Induced Flooding in Pakistan: Causes, Effects, and Outcomes of Journalistic Ordeals / Firasat Jabeen, Saleem Abbas and Adeel Ahmad Aamir, 59
9 The Hidden Threat: Journalism and Resilience in the Age of Information Disorder / Karen Fowler-Watt, Julian McDougall and Jaron Murphy, 67
10 Local Journalists and Trauma in Burkina Faso / Emma Heywood, Marie Fierens, Moumini Niaoné and Florence Le Cam, 79
11 News Feature: Vivienne Aitken: “These things had not happened to us. Who were we to say we wanted counselling?” / Lisa Bradley, 89
SECTION II: VICARIOUS TRAUMA
12 News Feature: Looking the Devil in the Eye: How Three Reporters Coped with Covering the “most harrowing trial in fifty years” of Child Serial Killer Lucy Letby / Lisa Bradley, 95
13 “Putting up the bulletproof glass”: The Impact of Court Reporting on Working Journalists in the UK / Arlene Lawler, 99
14 The Death Knock as Emotional Labour— Reframing a “rite of passage” to Help Journalists Cope / Alysson Watson, 109
15 Teaching Reporting on Death: Thanatology and Death Education as Tools to Prepare Journalists for Vicarious Trauma / Allan Macedo de Novaes and Marcio Adriano Tonete Marcelino, 119
16 Don’t Be a Jerk: Guidelines for Ethical and Sustainable Collaboration among Reporters, Fixers, and Local Producers Covering Warzones / Johana Kotišová, 129
17 News Feature: David Ward: “I hang onto my belief in human kindness” / Lisa Bradley, 139
SECTION III: CYBER ENVIRONMENT AND ABUSE
18 News Feature: Leona O’Neill: “I am not the same person anymore” / Lisa Bradley, 145
19 “An emotional flak jacket”: Helping Journalism Students to Stay Resilient and Safe Online / Jenny Kean and Abbey Maclure, 149
20 Building Resilience against SLAPPs: Protecting Investigative Journalists and Students from Traumatic Legal Threats / Barbara Longo- Flint and John Price, 161
21 Creating a Workplace Culture / Rebecca Whittington, 171
SECTION IV: GENDER AND DIVERSITY
22 Rethinking “Hostile” Environments: Toward Trauma Literacy and Identity-Aware Safety Training for Journalists / Tara Pixley, 187
23 Encouraging Reporting of Sexual Harassment by Journalists / Elana Newman, Bradley Brummel and Autumn Slaughter, 197
SECTION V: THE EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT
24 News Feature: Chris Elliott: “If you are triggered by trauma, then there is a need to consider if journalism is the right job for you” / Lisa Bradley, 209
25 “They definitely throw you in the deep end”— a UK Graduate Perspective on Journalism Practice / Lada T. Price and Lisa Bradley, 211
26 Effective Ways to Teach Trauma and Resilience to Journalists / Colm Murphy, 221
27 “All Rise”: Immersive Dramatic Performance Techniques to Build Resilience in Trainee Court Reporters [United Kingdom] / Lisa Bradley, Polly Rippon, Lindsay Pantry and Michelle Rawlins, 231
Further Multimedia and Online Resources You Might Find Useful, 241
1 Introduction / Emma Heywood and Lisa Bradley, 3
2 Journalism as an Emergency Service and the Psychological Impact / Gabriella Tyson, 9
3 Emergency Frontline Workers Offer Five Lessons for Journalist Wellbeing / Erin Smith and Alexandra Wake, 19
4 News Feature: Rachael Venables: “There is life outside the trauma” / Lisa Bradley, 29
SECTION I: FIRST HAND TRAUMA
5 News Feature: Rory Carroll: “I wasn’t traumatised. It was the job and it was what I had signed up for” / Lisa Bradley, 33
6 Writing as Balm: Humanitarian Journalism, “Body 422”, and the Infliction and Transformation of Trauma / Tiania Stevens and Jamie Parr, 37
7 Perceived Organisational Support After a Traumatic Event: A Case Study of How Slovak Newsrooms Coped with the Murder of Investigative Journalist Ján Kuciak / Marina Urbániková and Lenka Haniková, 49
8 Covering the Climate-Induced Flooding in Pakistan: Causes, Effects, and Outcomes of Journalistic Ordeals / Firasat Jabeen, Saleem Abbas and Adeel Ahmad Aamir, 59
9 The Hidden Threat: Journalism and Resilience in the Age of Information Disorder / Karen Fowler-Watt, Julian McDougall and Jaron Murphy, 67
10 Local Journalists and Trauma in Burkina Faso / Emma Heywood, Marie Fierens, Moumini Niaoné and Florence Le Cam, 79
11 News Feature: Vivienne Aitken: “These things had not happened to us. Who were we to say we wanted counselling?” / Lisa Bradley, 89
SECTION II: VICARIOUS TRAUMA
12 News Feature: Looking the Devil in the Eye: How Three Reporters Coped with Covering the “most harrowing trial in fifty years” of Child Serial Killer Lucy Letby / Lisa Bradley, 95
13 “Putting up the bulletproof glass”: The Impact of Court Reporting on Working Journalists in the UK / Arlene Lawler, 99
14 The Death Knock as Emotional Labour— Reframing a “rite of passage” to Help Journalists Cope / Alysson Watson, 109
15 Teaching Reporting on Death: Thanatology and Death Education as Tools to Prepare Journalists for Vicarious Trauma / Allan Macedo de Novaes and Marcio Adriano Tonete Marcelino, 119
16 Don’t Be a Jerk: Guidelines for Ethical and Sustainable Collaboration among Reporters, Fixers, and Local Producers Covering Warzones / Johana Kotišová, 129
17 News Feature: David Ward: “I hang onto my belief in human kindness” / Lisa Bradley, 139
SECTION III: CYBER ENVIRONMENT AND ABUSE
18 News Feature: Leona O’Neill: “I am not the same person anymore” / Lisa Bradley, 145
19 “An emotional flak jacket”: Helping Journalism Students to Stay Resilient and Safe Online / Jenny Kean and Abbey Maclure, 149
20 Building Resilience against SLAPPs: Protecting Investigative Journalists and Students from Traumatic Legal Threats / Barbara Longo- Flint and John Price, 161
21 Creating a Workplace Culture / Rebecca Whittington, 171
SECTION IV: GENDER AND DIVERSITY
22 Rethinking “Hostile” Environments: Toward Trauma Literacy and Identity-Aware Safety Training for Journalists / Tara Pixley, 187
23 Encouraging Reporting of Sexual Harassment by Journalists / Elana Newman, Bradley Brummel and Autumn Slaughter, 197
SECTION V: THE EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT
24 News Feature: Chris Elliott: “If you are triggered by trauma, then there is a need to consider if journalism is the right job for you” / Lisa Bradley, 209
25 “They definitely throw you in the deep end”— a UK Graduate Perspective on Journalism Practice / Lada T. Price and Lisa Bradley, 211
26 Effective Ways to Teach Trauma and Resilience to Journalists / Colm Murphy, 221
27 “All Rise”: Immersive Dramatic Performance Techniques to Build Resilience in Trainee Court Reporters [United Kingdom] / Lisa Bradley, Polly Rippon, Lindsay Pantry and Michelle Rawlins, 231
Further Multimedia and Online Resources You Might Find Useful, 241
