Stories, stresses, and strains: What working local media experience when covering human tragedy

This research study provides qualitative commentary from twelve adults who currently work or have worked in media (TV, print, radio) in Omaha, Nebraska, and who have covered stories that involve human trauma or tragedy. The purpose of this study was to better understand how members of the working media experience reporting tragic stories and how reporting these stories impacts them emotionally and professionally. This qualitative study dives deep into those experiences from reporters who experienced covering tragic assignments firsthand. A discussion of the results, limitations, and potential future research follow these results. It is hoped that this qualitative study will shed additional and much needed light on what newsrooms are doing to assist and care for the emotional wellbeing of their employees.