Daniella Tebib
News Editor
dtebib@murraystate.edu
Journalism students became the teachers on April 30 when they held a trauma journalism training for area journalists.
Trauma journalism is defined as reporting on violence, conflict or tragedy with a focus on the aftermath and long-term impact of events on individuals, families and communities. Examples of traumatic events are shootings, terrorist attacks, physical or sexual abuse, deadly car crashes among others.
Journalists from The Paducah Sun attended the trauma training, which served as a culmination of information learned throughout the semester for the three students.
“Overall the presentation was a growing experience,” Nigel Walton, junior journalism major, said. “Instead of presenting in front of peers, presenting in front of future fellow employees and future people who work in my field helped me to step up my game.”
For the students, it was important for the presentation to have an impact on the community.
“I feel like this presentation helped local journalists who haven’t dealt with trauma in the field of journalism see what’s possible and what the effects of being exposed to these tragedies can have on them,” Keith Jaco, senior journalism major, said.
Journalists learned how to report accurately and compassionately on traumatic events, how to interview those involved in traumatic events and how to help journalists who may suffer from post traumatic stress symptoms after covering such events.
The students discussed events they learned about throughout the semester including the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, the Virginia Tech massacre and the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. The journalists learned what the media did well and didn’t do well during each of these events.
For example, senior journalism major Keenan Hall talked about a journalist who entered the hospital immediately following the Virginia Tech shooting seeking a victim to speak with. She told officials she had a breast pump in her backpack, but it turned out to be a camera.
Stephanie Anderson, professor of journalism and mass communications, said ethical concerns become of the utmost importance during traumatic events.
“I teach all journalism students that there are two questions that should drive whether or not they proceed with a story,” Anderson said. “The first – what is the journalistic value of the story. The second – will running the story cause more harm than good.”
Hall said while the presentation was difficult, it was worth it.
“I felt that the experience was challenging, condensing an entire semester into one presentation,” he said. “I embraced the challenge and learned a lot in the process.”
This was Anderson’s first time teaching the course.