On December 6-7 2013, the Dart Center hosted a workshop for journalists to improve news coverage of immigrants and refugees, with a special focus on mental health. This workshop was sponsored by the Thomas Scattergood Foundation for Behavioral Health.
Following the landmark PTSD case in which a journalist referred to as "AZ" sought damages against Australia's The Age newspaper, Bree Knoester, one of the plaintiff's lawyers, reflects on the case, which was ultimately won by The Age. Perhaps injuries are not preventable at all," Knoester writes. "What is clear, particularly through the work of Dart, is that there are systems that can be put in place by media organisations."
This article first appeared, in a longer version, in Precedent, the journal of the Australian Lawyers Alliance, issue 117, published in August 2013 (Sydney, Australia, ISSN 1449-7719), pp 40-44. It has been reproduced with the kind permission of the author and the ALA.
In what one official called "the worst act of violence suffered by media members since the start of the protests in December," Ukrainian journalist Vyacheslav Veremyi was shot by masked gunmen outside Independence Square. It is the latest example of journalists being targeted.
In advance of the Ochberg Fellowship, York Daily Record Sunday Editor Scott Blanchard writes about self-care, covering victims and his expectations for next week's fellowship at Columbia Journalism School. This column was originally published in the York Daily Record.
Following our workshop, “Covering Immigrants & Refugees,” the Dart Center caught up with speakers Cindy Carcamo, Michael Matza, Gary Pierre-Pierre, and Maria Sacchetti, who spoke about linguistic issues, identity protection, and how the immigration beat has changed, while sharing invaluable tips for working journalists.
The Dart Awards for Excellence in Coverage of Trauma honor innovative, ethical and effective reporting of human tragedy across all media platforms. The deadline to submit is Wednesday January 29, 2014 at 11:59 PM. Click here for submission guidlines, and click here to submit your entry.
Agenda for Dart Center two-day workshop "Covering Immigrants & Refugees."
Dart Centre Europe Director Gavin Rees recently wrote for the BBC about the importance of taking account of trauma, not only for the well-being of journalists but the integrity of their work. The BBC hosted a day of workshops aimed at sharing expertise on working in hostiles environments, aimed particularly at freelancers.
An unlikely independent website, Mexican Jihad, deconstructs the government and media representation of Mexico's "War on Drugs." Michelle Garcia reports from Mexico City.