News Industry Summit Targets Trauma, Mental Health of Journalists
Taking Care Roundtable examines solutions with experts, editors, unions, j-schools
Journalist and professor Matthew Pearson co-chaired the Roundtable, moderated by Lisa Khoo. (Photo: Manuel Baechlin)
Leaders from Canada’s news industry have come up with a series of proposals for newsrooms and journalism schools to help better protect the mental health of media workers, following a two day “solution summit” in Ottawa.
The Taking Care Roundtable featured presentations by top journalists, as well as leading psychiatric researcher Dr. Anthony Feinstein, Bruce Shaprio of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, and Jo Healey (ex-BBC) who trains journalists on trauma-aware reporting.
“Very sobering”
“Long overdue”
“Inspiring”
The two-day summit hosted international experts and news leaders from across Canada. (Photo: Manuel Baechlin)
Those are just some of the reviews of the Roundtable held October 24-25, amidst a period of unprecedented challenges within the industry. The event, co-chaired by the two of us (blog authors Pearson and Seglins), focused on seeking solutions following our national study published in May that found alarming rates of burnout, anxiety, depression and trauma exposure among Canadian media workers.
“From the stories we cover to the structures and process of news gathering, to the truly toxic, identity-based harm some journalists face for doing their jobs, (it) puts major stresses on journalists,” said attendee Irene Gentle, Torstar’s vice-president of inclusion and strategic partnerships and former editor of the Toronto Star.
Gentle was among representatives from a wide range of organizations, including Postmedia, Corus/Global, CBC/Radio-Canada, The Globe and Mail, Black Press, APTN, Unifor, Canadian Media Guild, J-schools Canada (UBC, Carleton, Kings, Langara College), as well as smaller publishers such as The Tyee, The Narwhal, Ricochet Media, and others.
“It’s clear we need to work together, put competitiveness aside, put our egos aside and address this together,” Gentle urged.
Roughly 50 newsroom managers, union leaders, industry advocates, working journalists and educators participated in workshops that identified gaps and proposed five top priorities for improvements in the news industry, including:
Education to address mental health on the job and risks of covering trauma
Newsroom protocols to protect staff and enhance “duty of care”
Colleague Peer Support
Concrete help for freelancers and photojournalists (benefits, pay, peer support)
Anti-racism and inclusion as foundations for industry well-being initiatives
The Roundtable was the brainchild of Pearson, an assistant professor of journalism at Carleton University (who co-authored with Seglins the initial Taking Care Report that surveyed more than 1,200 Canadian media workers.)
Pearson, Seglins and a team of Carleton research assistants are now preparing a detailed report on the Taking Care Roundtable, expected in early 2023.
We asked a number of participants for their early reviews, and share them below in their own words (Photos: Manuel Baechlin):
David Beers, Editor-in-Chief, The Tyee
To me, this event felt long in coming and full of urgency. The relentless pace of a job that thrusts caring souls into grim, even life-threatening circumstances is bound to take its toll. Why have we pretended otherwise? I've personally seen so many colleagues burn out, or grapple with PTSD, or self-medicate to mask mental wear and tear. Here, thanks to the Taking Care Roundtable folks, we pushed it all out in the open and sought solutions.
I found it incredibly gratifying to see nearly 50 reporters, editors, instructors and mental health experts work towards this key acknowledgement: Journalism is a hazardous work site. It's time to formalize measures for safety and healing.
I came away energized to implement some changes right away, in concert with my colleagues, at my own organization. I am eager to participate further with this critical national project.
Sandra Martin, Head of Newsroom Development, The Globe and Mail
Despite the growing evidence that mental wellness initiatives are essential to our newsroom journalists – and, indeed, the future of our industry – these programs are still too often run off the side of a busy manager's desk. And, too often, it feels like an isolated labour of love. The chance to gather with other newsroom leaders from across the country, every one equally dedicated to this important task, was energizing, even when the content and the reality of what we are facing felt challenging. While everyone in the room over the Roundtable's two days has offered their full commitment, our discussions made it clear many in our industry hesitate to even discuss the issue of mental wellness; stigma and the fear of being sidelined are still very strong. There is still so much work to do.
Darren Calabrese, Freelance Photojournalist
I really and truly felt that the Roundtable was an important step in correcting the duty of care that industry has neglected for so long. I was grateful for the trust and desire for better that was there congregated in the room. And, I hope to be able to look back at those two days and say that it was one of the most valuable contributions that I've made to journalism.
The duty of care we spoke of from the industry needs to extend beyond the newsroom to freelance journalists who are being hired to do the same work as staff members. Freelance/independent journalists are more vulnerable than ever – be it rising cost of inflation, threat of moral injury, online harassment and/or the general precarity of employment – we have to navigate some, if not all of these factors, without the support of those employing us.
Tracy Seeley, Senior Director of Newsgathering, CBC News
It was an inspiring, enlightening and very sobering two days, packed with useful information, expertise and excellent new contacts. The issue of mental health and well-being for journalists is very much an area for collaboration, not competition, and the group was impressively motivated to connect beyond the conference.
We need to be transparent with ourselves, our teams, and aspiring journalists about the inherent mental health and wellbeing risks in this profession. If that acknowledgement comes alongside effective training and targeted supports for staff, it can only benefit our current employees, and also potentially help with hiring and retention of new journalists.
Curt Petrovich, Journalist, CBC
The roundtable was a good first step by a fairly diverse group of journalists to do more than just talk about the mental toll of doing our jobs.
As someone who has experienced it firsthand, having developed PTSD from decades of covering trauma and human suffering, what I heard at the conference confirms my own conviction that nothing will fundamentally change the risk level for journalists without an acknowledgment by media managers and owners that some of the work we do is hazardous to mental health. It is, by definition, an occupational hazard that cannot be overridden by a webinar or access to EAP.
It’s analogous to people who work in construction or at a nuclear power plant: damage to employees can be rare, but those industries nonetheless accept that there are risks for which people running them must take responsibility.
Self-care and other personal strategies that rely on an employee’s ability to protect themselves can only be part of the solution, in much the same way that an iron worker has to wear a hard hat and harness.
What was apparent to me at the conference is that some of us aren’t prepared to see our jobs in that light. I think that’s because we’re not used to asking for help, and so demanding it is a bridge too far.
Shree Paradkar, Toronto Star / Unifor
We witnessed first-hand the varying levels of pain our colleagues are going through, wrought not by intention but perhaps lack of thought or in the context of preconceived societal notions about "toughness." It speaks to the backwardness of the news media on the topic of mental health that we came across so many similar threads weaving through newsrooms across the country. These included insensitive assignments, poor planning before during and after assignments, little patience and little institutional flexibility and funds to deal with mental health challenges.
We cannot discuss mental health through a colour-blind lens. On top of the burdens faced by all journalists, Black, Indigenous, other journalists of colour, and disabled journalists pay the emotional tax of being from those identities. Any solutions must be built from ground up, meaning keeping the most marginalized at the centre of the thought process. The rest of us will automatically benefit.
Kim Trynacity, CBC Branch President, Canadian Media Guild
This forum to discuss such a widespread problem across our industry was long overdue. Although I am personally aware of how damaging the impact of daily journalistic trauma is, I didn’t realize the extent of academic work underway, and supports which are currently available. The challenge ahead for all of us, is to ensure help is readily available for all media workers to access when they need it.
The bigger problem, however, is the culture of the newsroom.
It’s a competitive industry where media workers are willing to take risks early in their careers, and assignment editors, producers and executives strive to distinguish themselves in the crowded media market. Until that changes, the mental health and well-being of journalists and all media workers will continue to be collateral damage in the race to be first.
Saranaz Barforoush, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, UBC Journalism
What I enjoyed most were :
mix of guests between academics and professionals: great to have a chance at practical discussions and for the industry to know what we are doing in education
Speakers from research and the newsroom: great to know what work is being done
Group exercises : Perfect for brainstorming and identifying needs / challenges/ solutions
The dinner: excellent social idea
Overall, this was an excellent start to finding ways to offer support and education on mental health to the Canadian (and global) journalism community.
Challenges based on what I learned from the roundtable:
Education, education, education (to quote Dr. Feinstien): We identified that literacy is a challenge, but we also discussed how we could use education as an opportunity.
I also want to note that we discussed the gap between academia and the industry and how we must commit to collaboration.
Financial issues, especially considering vicarious journalists such as freelancers (security and mental health)
Providing space for the journalistic agency : Whether it's editorially or personal (to take or not to take a story)
Understanding moral injury and PTSD
Actionable outcomes: it's politically and practically challenging to produce demandable outcomes; how do we fix this? With education? Ok, what are the "lesson plans"? How to we teach these competencies?
Randy Kitt, Director of Media, Unifor
Getting all of the stakeholders in a room to discuss any issue is a great idea, even better when we’re all moving in the same direction. Journalists face trauma in many aspects of their job. Addressing the problem and workshopping possible solutions to support journalists and media workers was a rewarding experience. The panel discussion was heartbreaking and informative. The stories journalists shared with us was a moving experience and will benefit all journalists and media workers.
It's important to address the issues of trauma and mental health in our newsrooms.
The stigma will end when we talk about our mental health as a normal medical condition. Also, there was no debate that newsroom culture needed changing. But, where does that change come from and who is responsible? Is it top down? Or bottom up? Do workers and managers share responsibility for changing workplace culture? I think it's both. When workers demand change, managers must be compelled to listen. Luckily, on this issue, there seems to be a willingness in some newsrooms for both sides to work together.
Irene Gentle, former editor Toronto Star, vice-president TorStar/Metroland
Words like sobering, daunting and heartbreaking come to mind. But so do words like finally, unity, action. The roundtable ably framed the issue, which is painful to many and frankly tragic for others. It showed the intent of many to make changes for the better, and provided some helpful information as starting points. But it’s clear we need to work together, put competitiveness aside, put our egos aside, and address this together. We have to stop underestimating its impact on journalists and understand this isn’t an issue where topical aid can help. It’s a structural issue that needs to be addressed in a structural way. Its complexity is not a reason for inaction.
It was groundbreaking in its way, and showed how much more breaking of new ground has to happen to make a dent in the issue. We’re late in coming together to find solutions. Momentum is important from now on.
In recent years we’ve come to understand that many factors, from the stories we cover to the structures and process of news gathering, to the truly toxic, identity-based harm some journalists face for doing their jobs, puts major stresses on journalists. Instead of treating these factors like anomalies, which at this stage they’re really not, this roundtable helped identify how the industry has a duty of care concept to those in it. That framing can lead to some pretty refreshing thinking.
Burnout and stress are undeniable strains of doing journalism. On top of the clearly humane need to address that for journalists, there’s a democratic one. A journalist silenced by burnout or PTSD or anxiety is just as silenced as through other forms of censorship. This is not a side issue to journalism, it's intrinsic to the structure and process of today’s journalism and we need to address that.
If there are still some who think, “Well, it doesn’t happen to everyone,” or “It won’t happen to me,” let’s say, “It doesn’t happen to everyone and we’ll hope it doesn’t happen to you.” But journalists are telling us in surveys, in peer groups, in withdrawal from the industry or reluctance to enter it, that there’s a risk, there’s a problem. We don’t put safety measures in things assuming everyone will be injured, we do it knowing some will, and we look to reduce how many and how much harm is experienced. That’s where we’re at. We have to look at the many factors creating real risk for some in our industry and find ways to add structural protections.
