An Examination of Journalist Perceptions toward Covering Tragedy and Trauma

Abstract

Researchers in this study utilized Q111ethodology to exallline the perceptions of 16 current and for111er print and broadcastjournalists in central Indiana and upstate New York about their role in reporting 011 tragedy and traullla. A Q-sort instrll111ent containing 40 staternents was developed around five categories: Adventure, Bearing Witness, Career Concerns, Societal Inlpact, and Professionalisrn. Eight staternents were developed for each of the five categories, constituting the Q sanlpIe. Personal interviews and a short survey were elllployed to help interpret the perceptions of the 16 participating journalists concerning statelnents provided by war correspondents, police beat reporters, and other Iftraurna journalists, who had covered crises, disasters, and stories involving fatalities. PQMethod was llsed to analyze the state111ent ratings 1nade by reporters and two factors evolved: Etnpathists and Traditionalists. Researchers concluded that reporters covering tragedy and traunla are l110re aware of the role of e1110tion and cOlnpassionate involvernent with sources than would be recol11111ended by traditional newsr00111 guidelines on detached, objective inforlnation gathering.