3 - Trauma, children, and the media: What is ethical coverage? - Chris Schippers

Chris Schippers

Reference

Paccione-Dyszlewski, M. (2013). Trauma, children, and the media: What is ethical coverage?. Brown University Child & Adolescent Behavior Letter, 29(3), 8.

Theme

Covers the risks and repercussions involved with the use of child sources as a journalist and the vulnerabilities and trauma that young sources experience.

Summary

·         Photos of young children shielding their eyes from the carnage bring forth the debate of where to draw the line in journalism and ethics when children are involved.

·         There is a definite need for the disaster or tragic event to be reported.

·         When tragic events involve children, members of the media community have a duty to report the truth with heightened sensitivity and awareness of the vulnerability of their minor subjects.

·         Definition of trauma simply explained as extreme stress that overwhelms a person's ability to cope.

·         Just because the children were present when the event occurred doesn't necessarily mean the story and details will be accurate.  Children are much more emotional and their imaginations much more rampant.

·         Children respond to trauma differently than adults.

·         Trauma affects children more long term with lasting impacts on mental status, relationships, self-esteem, brain development, physical health etc.  Discussing the trauma experienced is a much more sensitive.

·         Sometimes the parent/guardian's permission to allow photos and interviews can be compromised depending on whether or not the adult themselves were traumatized.

·         Protecting the child victims from further trauma should far outweigh the want to get the best interview, most captivating photo, or telling the story.

Application to the Lessen Topic

The article I reviewed discusses the fine line walked by journalism when dealing with children and traumatic events.  There isn't a well-defined policy in place saying they can or can't share a particular photo, so it ultimately comes down to the moral judgment of the journalist.  Questions arise as to what is ethical and what coverage should be shared or kept quiet.   Journalists that cover disasters or traumatic events with children involved, have the critical task of telling a story without causing more trauma as a result.

Application to Emergency Services

Journalists can learn a thing or two from emergency responders when it comes to boundaries of information that should or shouldn't be shared as they deal with it on a daily basis in their radio communications, conversations with coworkers, public, and family.  Both professions have a job to accomplish and they both need to consider what is best for those victims of trauma involved in the incident.