A steady diet of violent crime, fatal accidents and human tragedy
takes a toll on reporters. Some think newspapers and TV stations should
do more to help their staffers cope.
After our police beat discussion in class today, read the following story from The American Journalism Review and post your brief reactions here by Thursday, 10 Nov.
This story about crime reporters brings a lot of awareness to what they go through every day. People do not realize the lengths they have to reach to to report a good story about a horrible tragedy that has occurred. It just shows that the crime reporters have to really love what they do to get all of this done and it be a good interesting story for the viewers.
ReplyDeleteYikes. That was a tragic article. I guess I had never really thought about the emotional toll that crime reports bring upon not only police officers and firemen, but the journalists as well. This was a real eye-opener and very interesting. As fun as journalism can be, it can also be a very emotional experience.
ReplyDeleteI personally found Harvey's writing style interesting. His use of imagery and just his overall tendency to include extraneous but vivid detail gives his story that extra zing. I also appreciated the fact that he chose a collection of stories that were not only relevant, but just seemed to draw the reader in. He included quotes from various journalists to emphasize the gravity of each incident throughout the field, but also included knowledgeable insight as to the different stressors that might be encountered. My only criticism is that Harvey's story is perhaps a little too sensational, but again these vivid descriptions worked in his favor. Harvey really brings the reader to sort of an eye level with each of these journalists, and translates their experiences into a very relatable read.
ReplyDeleteWow!Reading this article, I was taken on an emotional roller coaster! It gave an eyewitness account of a day in the life of a beat reporter describing the horrific things they see and the battle of an aftermath that they go through personally. I never realized how covering what is breaking news to us(the audience) could affect them in such a way that drives them to such illness as depression. This shows beat reporters are just as human as we(the public) are.
ReplyDelete"I remember somebody was talking to me, upset about what they had seen in the room... I wasn't sure if I was supposed to bring out my note pad or hug them," says Reilly, 27. I identify with this quote because it can be hard to control my emotions with certain topics like death. The case at Penn State reminds me of this article as it shows the situations reporters have to talk to police about are often difficult. It's interesting to see how reporting can be just as stressful as poice work. The image of the cynical, jaded reporter is often portrayed in films. Until reading Harvey's story I had been under the impression that this was a cariacture. Harvey's piece brings to life the emotional sacrifice police beat reporters make in order to report the news. The danger element was another aspect that stands out. A reporter in Oxford covering DUIs on the Square, will not feel as intimidated as a reporter in downtown Memphis. I had never thought of the situation of talking to witnesses as potentially dangerous, now I understand the risks involved.
ReplyDeleteWell I'm glad that I am not a cop. The was very long and very informing to the weakness' of law enforcement and crime reporters. Truthfully, I have never thought about that angle very much. The story was very well written and I'm sure that it is very helpful to reporters in that department. It shows empathy to people that might be in need of mental health. I thought that some of the details explained in various crime stories were very explicit and hard to read. But, I can understand why there was so much emotion put into this story.
ReplyDeleteThis story definitely provided great insight to the everyday routines and rituals of crime and police beat reporters. By no means does this job come with only glitz and glamor. Clearly, there are a lot of hardships a journalist endures when covering some of these tragic events. The idea that journalists should have to undergo counseling like cops and firemen makes plenty of sense after hearing some of the things they witness on a day to day basis. What stuck with me the most is when the journalist knew she had to get out when she said "Oh another dead baby story." Crazy stuff!
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