Thesis
Trauma exposure to journalists in local broadcast newsrooms
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Sep 2019
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00000956
Abstract
Journalists of all job titles and descriptions working in local broadcast newsrooms are faced with being routinely assigned to stories that involve death, destruction, victims of crime and/or scenes of violence. Training in college and university programs rarely touches on how to prepare for such traumatic events, yet journalists are expected to tell stories on a daily basis that are objective and factual with few outlets offered or available to discuss how such stories have a personal impact. This thesis uses both qualitative and quantitative research methods. A survey measured how often local broadcast journalists are exposed to potentially traumatic events, what education they received in exposure to trauma reporting and what support they are offered during and after such events. In-depth interviews show the emotional reactions, thought processes and give insight to what coping mechanisms are turned to most often. Results indicate that overall local broadcast journalists are not taught how to prepare and mentally process potentially traumatic events, that journalists are routinely assigned to a potentially traumatic story on a weekly basis, and many newsrooms do offer counseling assistance, but rarely advertise such help is available.
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Details
- Title
- Trauma exposure to journalists in local broadcast newsrooms
- Creators
- Carla Renae Judah
- Contributors
- Albert S. Tedesco (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- vii, 73 pages
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Television (and Media) Management; Cinema and Television; Drexel University; Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design
- Other Identifier
- 991014695243004721