Local journalists have a tough but vital role in reporting on the recovery from this unprecedented trauma, often doing so amid staff cuts and furloughs, while balancing family needs and the health risks that come with on-the-ground reporting. Like all recoveries, this one won’t be a straight line. It will be messy. The aftermath should be conveyed through the experiences of individuals as much as possible, rather than only through the lens of systems and officials.

More than threee million people have been infected with coronavirus disease (COVID-19), fueling a worldwide pandemic. As of this writing, at least 200,000 people have died. As the numbers continue to rise, we have assembled resources for journalists on covering disaster and epidemic, interviewing victims and survivors, and working with colleagues exposed to traumatic events in English and Chinese.

For journalists on every beat, managing personal boundaries and safety can pose difficult choices and challenges. Women journalists in particular contend with unwanted presumptions, sexual harassment and the threat of violence. The Dart Center asked nine leading women in journalism to talk about the impact of these challenges on their work, and to reflect on their own best practices. This video is the result.

What impact does close and routine contact with vulnerable people have on filmmakers? And do TV companies equip their employees with the skills and support that working with challenging material and vulnerable people requires? In a new report supported by Wellcome – the first of its kind – the Dart Centre has sought to answer these questions by laying out the factors and situations that generate occupational distress in the UK’s factual TV sector. Read the full report here.