Gina Edwards

JOUR 491

Kill the Messenger Feature Story

10-14-2008

“Stress and a Steno Pad: The Mental Struggle for Journalists”

A journalist requires a tough exterior, and a strong inner core that can withstand the

brutalities of an investigative career. In his book Kill the Messenger, Nick Schou pieced together

the tale of Gary Webb, a hard hitting and instinctual journalist who was categorized by many as

the model of an ideal reporter. However, after publishing a controversial series called “Dark

Alliance,” and receiving nationwide criticism and vilification, Webb was pushed to the edge of

his emotional capacity, and driven to a fate of suicide.

Although Webb’s tale is rather extreme, it still serves as an example of the toll that a

career in journalism can have on a person. From reporters to correspondents to broadcasters, the

stress of a news-based profession can have tragic side effects. Currently the causes, effects, and

remedies to such anxiety are not routinely covered in the college journalism classroom, leaving

many students mentally unprepared for what is to come when their careers begin. Thus, the

psychologically debilitating facet of the journalistic workplace must be addressed and analyzed.

Media corporations focus on events that are deemed “newsworthy.” Often times these

occurrences are emotionally upsetting, and range from violent acts to grotesque deaths to

environmental disasters. In fact, within the context of particularly gruesome or brutal situations,

“three groups of people are the most likely to be affected: the victims, the rescue workers, and

the journalists (Dworznik).” Being one of the first people on the scene, interviewing traumatized
bystanders, and investigating emotionally harrowing situations are all tasks of the typical

journalist, who is often unaware of the sustained psychological ramifications of such

responsibilities. And in America today, there seems to be a growing number of reasons that

journalists undergo intense stress. Not only is the competition more cutthroat than ever, but the

war in Iraq has increased the amount of potentially dangerous and traumatic assignments. For

example, “more than 80 journalists were killed in Iraq since the 2003 war began… [and]

journalists may be targets of terrorists, or military units (Ward).” These are all further stressors

that weigh upon today’s reporters. In a recent study, “92% of participants [had] at least one

experience… traumatic enough to cause intense feelings of fear, helplessness, or horror

(Dworznik).”

So, what happens when this kind of trauma and stress goes unmanaged and unaddressed?

Depending on each particular person’s social support system and health, the stress factors can

range from moderately to extremely harmful. Although all journalists are prone, war

correspondents and disaster reporters are even more likely to undergo Post-Traumatic Stress

Disorder, or PTSD. Hyper-arousal, insomnia, depression, irritability, flashbacks, substance

addictions, withdrawal from normal activities, and a slew of other debilitating issues can quickly

become everyday hardships (Ward).

Perhaps the scariest effect of this disorder on the brain is its consequent stress on the

journalist’s life. He or she may soon find that family dynamics, social settings, and workplace

atmosphere are detrimentally affected. A long-term sustainment of this brain trauma can cause

even longer-term effects. For example, “journalists with greater exposure to traumatic events

evidenced more negative views of the world and their profession (Dworznik).” Cynical attitudes

may hinder a journalist’s ability to report on a matter objectively, and foster discourse among
peers and spouses. Journalists may see the negative effects of their job carrying further into their

life than they had ever anticipated.

As was mentioned before, the news arena is one that promotes a “tough as nails” attitude.

Researchers have discovered that “an admission of emotional distress in a macho world was

feared as a sign of weakness and a career liability (Ward).” Due to this fact, many journalists

choose to hide and attempt to ignore their rising psychological stress level in order to maintain a

persona in the workplace. However, this mentality of the news corporations feeds an ongoing

cycle of overwhelming mental and emotional hardships for its employees.

Thus, media outlets need to make an educated and definitive step toward fixing this

matter that is so often cast aside as mere “psycho-babble.” Providing confidential counseling

may be the most important and primary means in which the news corporations can begin to

rectify the issue. Also, ensuring that journalists are informed about stress and trauma can provide

an avenue to recognize their own issues, and a way to monitor those of their colleagues. Policies

concerning trauma coverage should also be regulated, and include systems of rotating reporters

and de-briefing. Finally, war correspondents should be required to take a course in trauma

training so that the devastation will not come as such a mental shock. (Ward)

Many American citizens who comment on news coverage often state that its continually

depressing nature causes them to turn off the television or close their paper. But journalists don’t

have the option to simply cease this flow of information. It is their daily duty to immerse

themselves in the happenings of the world, no matter how emotionally tormenting or harmful

they may be. Reporter Gary Webb illuminated the devastating and fatal consequence of high

stress levels and depression in the journalism workplace. The ongoing bombardment of traumatic

incidents and demanding circumstances in the news arena is an issue that must be addressed by

professors, media outlets, and journalists alike. Tomorrow’s young news advocates must
adequately prepare themselves for their future, and learn to handle themselves so as to avoid the

tragic mistakes that other “tough” journalists have already made for them.

Works Cited

Dworznik, Gretchen, and Max Grubb.. "Preparing for the Worst: Making a Case for Trauma
 Training in the Journalism Classroom." Journalism & Mass Communication Educator

62.2 (Summer2007 2007): 190-210. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Alden Library,

Athens, OH. 10 Oct. 2008 <http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=a9h&AN=26555269&site=ehost-live>.

Ward, Stephen J.A. “Trauma and Journalists.” Centre for Journalism Ethics. 2005. The

University of British Columbia. 10 Oct. 2008.

<http://www.journalismethics.ca/global_journalism_ethics/trauma.htm>.