Self-Study Unit 4: The First 24 Hours

The first 24 hours after a traumatic news event may present a journalist with considerable challenges and opportunities, both professionally and personally. The usual physical and psychological demands of trying to gather facts and write a story under deadline are greatly magnified when trauma is involved, especially when a large number of victims are dead or seriously injured (although even a single victim can be difficult to cover). The scene of the event will likely be chaotic if many victims are involved. Conflicting accounts of what happened, difficulty finding appropriate people to interview, and competition to get the news out as quickly as possible all contribute to the stress of covering trauma. The effects of secondary trauma — i.e., vicariously experiencing traumatic stress through someone else's trauma-based suffering — can also take its toll on a journalist, as so many have reported to be the case since the Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma began studying the effects of trauma on journalists.

This module is the fourth in a series of online curricula prepared by the Dart Center and follows one on "Journalism & Traumatic Stress" (Unit 1), "Covering Terrorism" (Unit 2), and "Photography & Trauma" (Unit 3). It is advisable to complete the first three modules before proceeding with this module, although Unit 4 can stand alone as an overview of what journalists can expect to encounter 24 hours after a traumatic news event occurs. Of course, details and specific experiences will differ depending on the circumstances of the event and the people involved. The goal of this unit is to discuss issues, problems and strategies that are commonly found to be salient in the first 24 hours.

Part 1 describes some actual traumatic news events and analyzes some of the news coverage that occurred within the first 24 hours.