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Should journalists convey emotion when covering crisis events?

In the aftermath of the recent earthquake in Haiti, many reports coming out of the country have featured journalists who were outwardly distraught and emotional. And many broadcasters have provided information about ways viewers and listeners can help the victims.

While many appreciate hearing journalists' sentiment, others hold that emotional outpouring does not belong in journalism, and that journalists should remain objective, even during tragic crises or disasters.

What do you think? Is there room in journalism for reporters to express emotion and personal experiences when covering crisis events? Does this journalistic style enhance news coverage?

Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/37913760@N03/ / CC BY 2.0

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It is okay for a journalist

It is okay for a journalist to have a sad facade when informing people about death and bloodbath. It is only desired that the journalists do not take sides and thereby abide by objectivity. While it is absolutely unnecessary to expect a journalist to express despondency when a particular political party is going through a bad phase it is okay for him to smile when his nation's PM does an extraordinary job in an international forum. Again, while it is naive of a newsman to echo the feelings of some people it is not unacceptable if he/she argues in favor of anti-terrorist activities. Hence, a journalist is supposed to be objective and not take sides when something is open to debate. That does not limit his/her expressional freedom but he can only opinionate with words or expression only when theres more than 99.9% acceptance to something and theres no scope of a debate.

I think a reporter should

I think a reporter should write about his or her feeling while covering a human interest story. He or she is not a robot, nor this kind of approach is expected from them in the name of neutrality. Human sufferings, their struggle to survive in a particular situation should be depicted as it is, which will automatically be an emotional story - if it is not packed with emotion it will not be a reflection of truth. But in case, a particular reporter is reporting on government decision or policy, emotion can not play any role to it. It should an objective one and hard facts. So the question whether a reporter should have an emotion or not, does not have a single rule. It depends on the kind of subject he or she is dealing with. Arundhati Mukherjee. India arundhatiaugustYahoo.co.in

I personally believe we

I personally believe we journalists are human beings.We can’t function as machine just because the one/rule says so. As long as we did not affect fact and put it accurately I think after all we are working to enlighten human life not to put some kind of information on some kind of scientific process. If we say we are to serve our public we need to compromise the interest of them. And need to be flexible and smart decision makers. Edu

The truth of the matter is

The truth of the matter is that emotion is an issu of nature which must run in the vein of every living creature. Therefore, a journalist is not and cannot be spared from the grip of emotion. Need it be stressed that a journalist who is passionate about his profession needs some measure of emotion to prod him on for the purpose of attaining an end success. However, it is important for every journalist to have a sense of balancing, as in refusing to be totally driven by emotion in the course of his duties.

To me, it appears that the instant attention drawn by the international media to the sudden earthquake in Haiti, and the attendant human misfortune and tragedies suffered by the people came about with the high measure of emotion that underpinned the coverage of the incident by all the journalists on involved . So the most important thing is that every journalist should aspire to live by the ethics of Jouranalism which largely preches moderation, truth, balancing, creation of verifiable history and general entertainment of the society. In short, while a journalist cannot run away from emotional tendencies while performing his duties, he should be alive enough not to allow himself get carried away if for his output not to end up being questioned.

Not conveying emotion -- that

Not conveying emotion -- that is pretending to be dispassionate -- is also an emotion.The objective pretense of the news is neither objective nor is it emotionless. It is -- If you will -- a "WASP" cultural attribute. Attitudes are conveyed by being "emotionless" as well as by showing emotion. Neither is better. They reflect cultural -- and political -- differences.

Not conveying emotion -- that

Not conveying emotion -- that is pretending to be dispassionate -- is also an emotion.The objective pretense of the news is neither objective nor is it emotionless. It is -- If you will -- a "WASP" cultural attribute. Attitudes are conveyed by being "emotionless" as well as by showing emotion. Neither is better. They reflect cultural -- and political -- differences.

I think that journalists

I think that journalists should be objective. We must not put emphasis on emotion. What is important is to give true and useful information to people. It is up to the audience or readers to be influenced by our news or not.

A reporter is a human, s/he

A reporter is a human, s/he should have emotion but s/he would never reflect his/he in the report. Shaikh Nazrul Islam, ATN Bangla, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Hi all I think that it is

Hi all I think that it is easier to quote than it is to do it. we must remember that before being a journalist, we are human being. so it's very difficult in times of of humanitarian crisis to stay journalisticly balanced. How can a journalist avoid giving a ride to a person who is wounded in natural catastrophe like in Haiti, if her or his car is the only one available that can help save this life. we can not avoid being emotional in apocalyptic situations but we make all the efforts to remain balanced in our reporting of the facts. we can be allowed expression of anger in our comments or open-eds if we notice , for instance some lack of dilgence in humanitarian operations Gerard Guedegbe, Benin

We have tried the method of

We have tried the method of hiding our emotions. Putting away in a dark closet all the horror we encounter and cover. Only problem is that sometimes the closet gets full and the demons come out to haunt us in the most inopportune times. It's called PTSD when it does. From one of those suffering through it now, I wish I had expressed more emotion when it all happened. Trying to hide behind your camera only lasts so long.

As a journalist I find myself

As a journalist I find myself act on emotions to go and discover or cover a story there must be a passion or emotion before you work but at work you as a journalist should never show any of the two. Alice Uganda

David Hinckley of the New

David Hinckley of the New York Daily News makes some sensible points: "It is still theoretically possible to pass through this landscape, take notes and file a story. But most reporters can’t do that, and equally to the point, we wouldn’t want them to."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2010/01/19/2010-01-19_haiti_tv_coverage_reporters_saving_lives_is_good_but_selling_it_on_tv_feels_bad.html#ixzz0dAdn6P9S

If they don't show their

If they don't show their emotional reactions, the public could assume they are Republicans and not human. Merilyn

This is "real life"

This is "real life" stuff.........so yes, I do believe emotion helps convey the story and what people are going through. Until you're there dealing with tangible evidence, people here and everywhere won't get the full realization of it all.

There is an important

There is an important difference between sensationalism and showing natural emotions: relevant truth. As journalists, it must be our duty, mission and purpose to provide people with information about the world. We will not get this information if people do not trust us. People often don't trust us because they see us as heartless robots. The only way to prevent this stereotype is to prove that we are affected by what we see. Remain objective? Against what? In case the earthquake has something to say? We wouldn't want to seem biased against it, now. ha. Stay professional, yes. Be the pillar of strength and courage for a people in need, knowing that your reports do make a difference and that in the end God is in control. He knows what He is doing and will use this for His good. To turn His people back to dependence on Him and to show His healing power, that they might love Him more fully with proof of His power. I don't care what your religion is, you have to know that even in deepest tragedy, there is hope. THAT is what will get you through reporting on tragedy. Not asking why it happened, but what good can come out of it and what you can do to make it so. People will not give to a cause they are not emotionally moved by. I'm not saying to go all PR and advocate a specific cause, but if you are reporting on a tragedy you must want it resolved. It's only natural, whether it's help for Haiti or new DUI laws after a drunk driving accident. Consider your information a valuable tool in bringing restoration, hope and new life to these people. Perhaps THE most valuable tool. THEN you will be able to know when to stay distanced and when to show your heart.

First of all i would like to

First of all i would like to share my condolences with people of Haiti who are suffering at the moment since the powerful earthquake that struck on last Tuesday where according to officials and different sources more than 100,000 fear killed. Right from the question i would say that there is no room for reporter to express emotion and personal experience when covering crisis events, because, its can enhance news coverage and even destroy the reality and the true. What its happening at the moment in Haiti, and those collecting information and sending that there are doing giving wrong message to the people of Haiti. Lot of money is being collected around the world and the idea there is that people would receive money and aid, rather than that money is there for the reconstruction and aid for the needs. Reporter shouldn't be emotional when reporting. They should or we should always be neutral and objective and giving the information, the fact without being submerge by the emotion. Journalists are human being and must refrain themselves using any emotional attitude while on duty.Its sounds or may sound difficult but that where we journalist have to make the difference for our job in reporting. I am still have in mind the covering of the swearing of president Paul Biya in cameroon in the Parliament where senior journalist was too emotional and the other one in the desk has to remind him that he has to act as a journalist and just give listeners the fact.... Charles

Charles ATANGANA, investigative economic journalist, Edinburgh, Scotland, uk

As much as it's easy to say

As much as it's easy to say 'stay focused and objective' we journalists are still human, we got feelings and its invitable to detatch yourself from the reality. Sensationalism in journalism doesn't only find its way through emotions or human interest stories. So the Haiti case shouldn't be used as a platform to judge media sensation.

I take this opprtunity to thank the media for the good job in highlighting the plight of Haitians. Well, its now up to the whole world to see that this doesn't repeat itself. Nchinyei, journalist - Kenya

i thinking expressing one's

i thinking expressing one's emotions and feelings is not bad at all nothing makes us diffrent fron other people its just that as journalist we tend to be a little hard or less emotional even when something has affected us very much we tend not to show it but deep down we are crying But such depends on an individual some take it light others not. Thats why in Zambia we some people call us that we have no hearts but the truth is that when we go home in the evening we bawl for the affected it just human.

I don't know if it's a

I don't know if it's a choice. Reporters are humans, not robots, and can't help the way they feel. Being objective doesn’t mean being detached or removed; it doesn’t mean not feeling like your heart is dropping down through your stomach. A foreign correspondent once told me that he often is on the verge of crying when hearing all sort of heart-breaking stories in impoverished countries around the world. Then, the burden is on him to step back after an interview and make sure that that person was honest and didn't have an agenda. Do we doubt for a second the pain and despair of the Haitians? --Luca

I think at the time of

I think at the time of reportining journalists must be free from emotion .In crisis events they must not be sensational and it is prefable that the journalists Shouldnt convey emotion when covering crisis events b/c at crises time the journalist work must be to avoid emotions and to stablish peace! so the journalist Shouldnt convey emotion when covering crisis events b/c covering emotion is like addining oill on fire!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let me start by sharing this

Let me start by sharing this story of a senior colleague, he was a State correspondent(i.e posted outside the headquarters of the paper to report events in another State) for a popular newspaper in my country,Nigeria. He was covering an event when news reached him and other colleagues that a house got burnt, another news but like a journalist who was used to seeing so many mishaps, he asked nonchalantly if any body had died in the fire incident. Fortunately no life was lost, and he felt that wasn't sufficent news. Unfortunately, he got home that day to discover that the house was where he lived...In as much as we should remove sentiments from our reporting...we are still very much humans. That is why there is need for some psychotheraphy for journalists who are often reporting disasters, wars and for Haiti, honestly I shudder each time I think Haiti...oh what fate for an already impoversihed nation. Recently I interviewed a widow who shared her experience when she lost her husband, she said it took her six years to talk about it without crying but during the interview I found myself crying...I'm only human, moreso a woman. OLUWATOYIN AKINOLA, SUN NEWSPAPER, LAGOS, NIGERIA.

In the many trips I made to

In the many trips I made to haiti over the years beginning in 1986 an outpouring of emotion was not needed. the terrible truth spoke for itself and if we reported it with accuracy and fairness no outburst was required. It might make good television but as a print reporter I never found it added anything.

jfrazier (AP-retired)

Journalists are human beings

Journalists are human beings so yes of course they can depict emotion amongst their strong words. In cases like Haiti, where you are delivering hard news to the World, it might be rather 'unnatural' to not express emotion....how could you not when you are covering such a crisis? It's a simple thought.

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