Dart Research Database: the Definitive Bibliography of Scholarship on Journalism and Trauma

Produced by the Dart Research Lab at the University of Tulsa and the
Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Narrow by Category:

Click "Add" next to a citation to store it in My Research List for the rest of this browser session.

1. Natenberg, Tom "Tragedy Rekindles Reasons for Leaving Journalism" This article presents a narrative on the effect of the murder of the mother and husband of Judge Joan Lefkow on the author. I used to be a journalist. Used to is the key phrase here. Some 11 years have passed since the days of bearing the responsibility of writing a 1,000-word article in five minutes. Still, the memories of who I once was are as crisp as the bright blue sky. On February 28, 2005, they became that much darker. When the news broke that the husband and mother of Judge Joan Lefkow were murdered, my days of years gone by resurfaced like a thunderbolt. The murders hit me in a way the others have not. The similarities in this case compared to the Brown's Chicken murders, Buddhist Monks murders and the Peroutka story, have suddenly forced me to address emotions that for so long I repressed. True journalists get emotionally involved. To deny your own humanity is not only morally wrong, it is wrong to the readers and those who are counting on you to tell the truth, to represent views most would rather not hear. For me, being a reporter was just too hard. There is no other way to say it. At the end of the day, I just could not take it anymore. It was not the long hours or the low pay. Actually, for my age at the time, I was making good money at the Daily Herald. However, the cynicism I developed was out of control. I trusted no one, least of all myself. But this was my job--to be skeptical, to doubt, to assume all were lying. I was determined to find the truth. The judge's murders reminded me of that. In 1991, as a 21-year-old reporter serving a summer internship in Arizona, I was one of the first reporters on the scene to cover the monk's murders. I will never forget one of my sources. One hour after interviewing him the first time, he pulled me aside. He was crying. When he told me his friend was among those murdered, I recognized my own humanity. It is a lesson--whether in journalism or out--I have never forgotten. (Copyright of Communication and Mass Media Complete) Quill Vol. 55 2006 12 Blackwell Publishing p. 39-55. Other Journalism/Communication magazine suicide NA Occupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma) Depression Print Add
2. Alexandra Wake and Matthew Ricketson "Trauma in the newsroom: Lessons on the importance of Australia’s YZ case" A landmark ruling by an Australian court has put news media companies on notice they face potential findings of negligence and subsequent compensation claims if they fail to exercise a reasonable duty of care to journalists who cover traumatic events. Drawing on legal doctrinal methodology, we look at the successful case and compare it to an earlier unsuccessful case at the same newspaper where journalists sought damages from their employer for injury caused by their work. The case before the Victorian County Court in 2019 was the first to recognize the risk of psychological damage on those who report on traumatic events. The court ruled that journalist YZ, who worked at one of Australia’s oldest metropolitan daily newspapers, The Age, be awarded A$180,000 for psychological injury suffered while working between 2003 and 2013. YZ had reported on 32 murders and many more cases as a court reporter. She covered what were colloquially called Melbourne’s gangland wars, was threatened by one of its notorious figures and found it increasingly difficult to report on events involving the death of children, such as the case of a four-year-old who was murdered by her father by being thrown from a bridge in 2009. The court’s ruling – and ratification of the decision at appeal – was in stark contrast to the case from the same newspaper, in 2012, which did not uphold the claim of a news photographer. Apart from the intrinsic importance of the cases, it is relevant for journalism educators who are charged with preparing the next generation of journalists, many of whom will cover traumatic events. Educators and others have been urging cultural change in newsrooms for years but this ruling shows that it may well be now required by law. This paper asks: Can educators find sufficient space in a crowded curriculum to prepare students? Ethical Space: The International Journal of Communication Ethics Vol. 19 2022 . Other Other journal Non-specific/general NA Occupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma) NA NA NA NA Add
3. Power, Samantha "Reporting Atrocity War, Neutrality, and the Danger of Taking Sides" The author discusses the dangers of taking sides while reporting war. She begins by talking about Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter, who was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan. The media reportage of conflicts, the training of protection of reporters in dangerous situations, press freedom and foreign coverage at home is provided now in the schools of journalism. The challenges of securing space and attention for material is the first step. The second step is to think about the challenges reporters face once the permission and resources to report have been secured. Advocacy of Human Rights is still of greatest interest to the author. The challenge also lie in the coverage for humanitarian issues for example the September 11 reporting. Journalists face the problem of waiting for things to happen in front of their eyes including deaths. Another challenge in reporting is aesthetic, that is, to write with moral urgency without being moral. The author also emphasizes on needs to focus on important and sensitive issue by journalists. (Copyright of Communication and Mass Media Complete) Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics Vol. 58 2001 Winter2001 Nieman Reports p. 55. Other Other journal War NA Other Print Tips for covering trauma generally Add
4. Cenite, Mark "The Obligation to Qualify Speculation" This article proposes a journalism ethics obligation to identify speculation clearly, attribute it to sources, report any basis for it, and offer appropriate qualification, especially when speculation is based on stereotypes of stigmatized groups. Explicitly recognizing this responsibility addresses a gap in the traditional conception of journalistic responsibilities: When journalists fulfill responsibilities corresponding to their gatekeeper and watchdog roles by reporting sources' views, speculation may enter. Examples from major American newspaper and newsmagazine coverage of Andrew Cunanan, an openly gay man who in 1997 allegedly murdered fashion designer Gianni Versace and 4 other men, show how journalists met and failed to meet the proposed obligation when reporting speculation linking Cunanan's sexuality to his crimes. Abstract from the author Copyright of Journal of Mass Media Ethics is the property of Lawrence Erlbaum Associates and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts) Journal of Mass Media Ethics Vol. 26 2001 Routledge p. 5-25. Review (not including Meta-Analysis) Other journal Nonsexual crime NA Other Tips for covering trauma generally Add