The Dart Awards for Excellence in Coverage of Trauma honor innovative, ethical and effective reporting on the impact of violence, crime, disaster and other traumatic events. In addition to the traditional Dart Awards, this year we will be giving a special Dart Award for Outstanding Coverage of the Covid-19 Crisis in recognition of the exceptional challenges posed by the pandemic across the journalism community. The deadline for submissions is January 27, 2021 at 5:00 pm EST.

"Do your research. Ask who your story is for. Report on recovery and aftermath." On October 19, journalists Lizzie Johnson, Peter Drought, Lauren Markham and Karen Percy discussed the practice of reporting on wildfires in Australia and in the United States. They also shared thoughts on how to sensitively approach themes of aftermath, recovery and community resilience, considering the ethics of reporting safely and responsibly. The full event video, a companion tip sheet and additional Dart Center resources on covering disaster are now available here.

Covering civil unrest can be frightening and dangerous. A crowd may turn violent with little warning and police can target journalists or mistake them for rabble rousers. It’s particularly challenging to maintain social distancing during a riot, so take extra precautions to stay on the edge for quick exit. Bring extra masks, gloves and sanitizer for gear.