Mark H. Massé

Freelance writer Dennis Sanfilippo, Eugene, Ore., comments on TRAUMA JOURNALISM: ON DEADLINE IN HARM'S WAY: "I came away with a new regard for journalists as a whole and a new perception of trauma journalists in particular. The book should be MUST reading for any journalism student. Journalism, I believe, has always tended toward self-aggrandizement, yet your book graphically shows the real service it provides and the dedication of its most serious practitioners." Read More 

Australian freelance journalist Antony Loewenstein is a Sydney-based author, documentarian, photographer and blogger who has covered trauma journalism stories. He recently wrote about the hazards facing war correspondents and conflict reporters, citing the work of the Committee to Protect Journalists: http://antonyloewenstein.com/2011/12/20/the-deadly-risk-of-being-a-journalist-in-2011/

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reports 45 journalists were killed worldwide in 2011. Pakistan is now the most dangerous country for news media workers, according to the CPJ. David Tereshchuk wrote about the threats against journalists in a recent column published in the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-tereshchuk/war-journalists-_b_1148838.html

An excellent resource for study of trauma journalism is the Center for Journalism Ethics, School of Journalism & Mass Communication, University of Wisconsin (Madison). Prof. Stephen J.A. Ward directs the center, which houses research, journalist profiles, links to international news organizations and information on industry reform.
http://ethics.journalism.wisc.edu/resources/global-media-ethics/trauma-and-journalists/

The recent death of an Arizona Republic intern (and Arizona State Univ. journalism student) is being called an apparent suicide. Suicide is the third-leading cause of death among 15-to-24-year-olds after accidents and homicide. Media coverage of suicide is a controversial topic, given the documented effect of how certain types of “sensationalized” news media reports contribute to suicide contagion or “copycat” deaths. A 2010 report of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) calls for the responsible coverage of suicide to educate audiences about likely causes, warning signs, trends in suicide rates, recent treatment advancements, and other types of prevention. Read More 

My op-ed "When War Journalists Come Home" was recently re-posted on the New York Times' blogrunner.com website:
http://www.blogrunner.com/snapshot/D/5/ /weekly_address_honoring_those_who_served_in_iraq/

War correspondents and conflict journalists have worked in harm's way through countless wars and crises. But starting with the Balkans War in late 20th century, journalists have been targeted. The intentional killing of reporters intensified during the Iraq War and recently in the 2011 Arab Spring. Reality check: When protests erupt in violence, journalists are at greater risk than ever before.  Read More 

Journalist murders continue worldwide. From a New York Times article (12/16) by Michael Schwirtz: "A prominent journalist from Russia’s violence-plagued North Caucasus region was shot to death late Thursday as he left his newspaper, adding to a rising toll of journalists and human rights workers killed in the region in recent years. The journalist, Khadzhimurad Kamalov, 46, was the founder of Chernovik, a popular muckraking newspaper that covered delicate issues like police abuse, corruption and Islamic extremism in Dagestan, a mostly Muslim region neighboring Chechnya." Read More 

My op-ed "When War Journalists Come Home" was recently published by the Times of NW Indiana. It was reprinted by the military blog site (milblogging.com):
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/opinion/guest-commentary/guest-commentary-when-war-journalists-come-home/article_d741b848-e229-598b-ade5-5c2e8fc0ee65.html

Molly Bingham has covered conflict, violence and tragedy across Africa, Afghanistan, Iraq and the Middle East for nearly two decades. She joined a “rarified group of people” who risk their lives to tell dangerous stories. In the process, she has been detained, imprisoned and threatened (“shot at is more accurate”) by both enemy and “friendly” armed forces. She says a journalist’s resilience in covering difficult stories is a combination of the person’s physical and emotional states as well as professional craft attitudes. Read More