Mark H. Massé

My article "Those Who Cover Those Who Serve Also Suffer" was recently published on the International News Safety Institute (INSI) website: http://www.newssafety.org/casualty_news.php?id=404 My thanks to Rodney Pinder, executive director, INSI.

Congratulations to the 14 U.S. and international educators chosen as the 2012 class of Dart Center Academic Fellows. The educators will attend workshops at Columbia University, sponsored by the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma. As a member of the inaugural 2010 class of Dart Center Academic Fellows, I appreciate the efforts of scholars and working journalists to raise awareness of trauma-related issues and to help educate and train the next generation of news media professionals. Read More 

Excerpts from review of "Trauma Journalism: On Deadline in Harm's Way" in Winter 2012 issue of American Journalism: "This book is rich in primary anecdotes from journalists who paint a realistic picture of the difficulties and rewards of their work. But Massé goes much further, compiling research done on traumatic stress and including valuable tips. His chapter on 'Media Training and Intervention,' for example, includes guidelines for interviewing victims of tragedy, including children; risk assessment; contingency planning; and self-care. There is also a terrific section for college media advisers with tips on handling campus disasters. Massé's book will make journalists think hard about a newsroom culture that is sometimes brutal. 'Trauma Journalism' would be a terrific resource for both reporting and ethics classes, and it will interest working journalists and media scholars as well." Read More 

From a 4-19 NY Times editorial: "The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has named 12 countries — including Iraq, Russia, the Philippines, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Mexico — to its annual 'impunity index' because they allow deadly violence against the press to go unpunished. ... CPJ said that since 1992, 639 reporters have been killed for doing their jobs, and, in 565 cases, the killers went unpunished. According to the group, around the globe political reporting is the most dangerous beat, and local journalists the mostly likely victims." Read More 

Thanks to Mike Walter, writer/director, "Breaking News, Breaking Down" documentary, for his praise of my new book, "Trauma Journalism: On Deadline in Harm's Way." A veteran broadcast journalist, Mike understands the impact of covering tragedy/trauma and advocates newsroom reform.

My thanks to Sarah Wells at River Teeth (Ashland University) https://www.facebook.com/pages/River-Teeth-A-Journal-of-Nonfiction-Narrative/155465127807387?ref=ts for discussing my new book, "Trauma Journalism: On Deadline in Harm's Way." An excerpt ("Transformer") was published in River Teeth in fall 2009.

From Andy Lippman, former Associated Press Los Angeles Bureau Chief: "A great resource to newsrooms around the world. I really like the way you provide an intermezzo with profiles of journalists. ... Congratulations on a terrific job."

The death of Mike Wallace, longtime CBS and "60 Minutes" correspondent, marks the end of a distinguished era in broadcasting. Wallace, who endured several bouts of depression, was outspoken on mental health issues related to news coverage. He discussed the impact of covering stressful and traumatic stories in his journalism career.

The recent murders at Oikos Univ. in Oakland, Calif., are another in a long line of April tragedies in the U.S. Consider the Virginia Tech killing spree in 2007, the 1997 Columbine H.S. massacre and the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. Decades earlier, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in April 1968. Perhaps such a traumatic history in April is mere coincidence, but journalists covering crises and catastrophes should be aware of how often the past becomes prologue. Read More 

I will present my research on the negative impact of extended immersion reporting on literary journalists at the American Comparative Literature Assn. (ACLA) Conference at Brown University this weekend. Interesting analysis of the trauma effects experienced by Capote, Didion, Herr, Thompson, Conover and LeBlanc in their ethnographic work. If you're interested in my findings, send me your email address. Be glad to send you a copy of my paper. (Prof. Mark Massé, www.markmasse.com, mhmasse@bsu.edu) Read More