Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma

Covering Children & Trauma

By Ruth Teichroeb

When children are victims of violence, journalists have a responsibility to report the truth with compassion and sensitivity.

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Bringing it Home: 2013 Dart Awards

On May 1, 2013, the Dart Center celebrated the 2013 Dart Awards winners and honorable mentions and presented a roundtable discussion. The conversation explored the story-behind-the-story, and drilled down on what's involved in undertaking hard-hitting, humane investigations of trauma and pursuing high-impact collaborations. Dart Foundation Vice President James Lammers and Dart Foundation Program Manager Claudia Deschaine presented the awards.

Good Wars, Bad Wars: A Special Conversation

On Tuesday, the Dart Center hosted a conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Dale Maharidge and Ridenhour Prize-winning journalist Nick Turse about their acclaimed new books which revise our understanding of two very different wars. In Bringing Mulligan Home, Columbia Journalism professor Dale Maharidge goes in search of the ghosts that haunted his WWII veteran father. In Kill Everything that Moves, journalist and historian Nick Turse uncovers secret Pentagon records and tracks down survivors and perpetrators, revealing the brutal consequences of America’s military policy in Vietnam.

Crisis Reporting in the Age of Social Media

By Anna Codrea-Rado

In the high stakes business of trauma reporting, social media has become a powerful and controversial journalistic tool. We are also only just beginning to understand how to use it. A special report in advance of our symposium on Monday, April 22, in conjunction with the Tow Center for Digital Journalism, at Columbia Journalism School: Sandy Hook and Beyond: Breaking News, Trauma and Aftermath.

On the Media: Unprepared, Inexperienced and in a War Zone

2012 Ochberg Fellow Stuart Hughes chaired a panel discussion at London's Frontline Club, which focused on today’s challenges, opportunities and risks for freelance journalists. More »

Reporters Exposed to Traumatic Events: Tips for Managers and Editors

Staff care tips for managers and editors of news personnel exposed to traumatic events.

Working with Victims and Survivors: Minimise Further Harm

Suggested ways news personnel can minimise further harm when working with victims and survivors.

Sexual Assault in the Military: Victims or Survivors?

In reporting on trauma, terminology can be a sensitive and important topic. In light of the decision by the U.S. military to lift its ban on women in combat, Helen Benedict explores the issue as it relates to sexual assault in the military. More »

Dart Staff and Affiliates Weigh In

In the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings, Dart Center staff and affiliates were in the news, speaking about best practices for journalists covering tragedy involving children, and how to move forward. More »

Children’s Reactions to Trauma-related News Media

By Summer Nelson, Elana Newman, and Betty Pfefferbaum

Following the Newtown school shooting, a fact sheet on the effects of trauma-related news media on children.

Mass Shooting at Connecticut Elementary School

A mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut left 28 people dead, including 20 children. See the Dart Center's resources for journalists covering this tragedy. 

Australian PTSD Trial Spotlights Mental Health Issues in Journalism

In a case being closely watched by the Australian media, an award-winning photojournalist is suing The Age newspaper in Melbourne, claiming the paper failed to provide a safe workplace and breaching its responsibility to care for her mental health. More »

“So the Audience Will Never Forget”

A Dart Center Q & A with Jon Alpert

By Olga Kravtsova

Jon Alpert is an award-winning reporter and documentary filmmaker whose recent work includes "Baghdad ER" and "Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq," directed and filmed with Matthew O'Neill for HBO. Alpert is also a co-founder and co-director of the Downtown Community Television Center (DCTV).

77th Annual Emergency Media and Public Affairs (EMPA) Conference

In Melbourne, Australia, the 77th Annual Emergency Media and Public Affairs (EMPA) Conference aims to work toward and explore best-practice in connecting within communities during times of disaster.

Application Deadline: Newsroom Leadership Academy

At Columbia University, a week-long global training program aimed at newsroom managers, senior journalists and news executives responsible for leading coverage of trauma, crisis and disaster.

Dart Centre Asia Pacific Fellowship

In Bangkok, Thailand, this week-long program provides an opportunity for seasoned journalists and their editors to gain valuable knowledge and skills to bring to their coverage of tragic events. 

2013 Press Freedom Media Dinner

In celebration of UNESCO World Press Freedom Day, the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance and the Walkley Foundation for Journalism will present the 2013 Press Freedom Media Dinner.

Workshop: Reporting the Unspeakable

In the Italian city of Perugia this workshop is held at the International Journalism Festival 2013. It examines the hidden life of the interview by looking at what trauma is, and focusing on advanced interviewing skills.  

Child Clinicians & the Media

By Elana Newman and Robert P. Franks

Whether clinicians like it or not, children and families affected by trauma are routinely covered by the media. When that happens, clinicians often face difficult choices.

Note: Available as PDF download only.

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Self-Study Unit 1: Journalism & Trauma

The skills needed to interact with people under such stressful and unpredictable conditions do not usually come naturally. The goal of this module is to explain what traumatic stress is and why it is useful for journalists to know about its effects.