TY - JOUR

T1 - “If It Bleeds It Leads”

T2 - The Visual Witnessing Trauma Phenomenon Among Journalists in East Africa

AU - Radoli, Lydia Ouma

N1 - Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This article was written during the Research Fellowship period at the Leuphana Institute of Advanced Studies in Culture and Society, Leuphana University L\u00FCneburg, which was funded by a grant from the Ministry of Research and Culture of the Lower Saxony Germany under the SPRUNG funding scheme (grant number: 1176251370312021). Publisher Copyright: © AEJMC 2024.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - The paradox of documenting history through gruesome visuals depicting the prominence of stories intrigues media researchers. Foundational work on the dual representation theory explains trauma transference to brain functions following disturbing emotional triggers. The analysis suggests an existing link between exposure to disturbing information and trauma. In East Africa, trauma and related psychological effects thrive amid rigid newsroom structures devoid of intervention mechanisms. The scarcity of trauma mitigations is not just an issue in journalism, but in society, as mental health concerns and other deprivations become common. Data from in-depth interviews with journalists reporting trauma in Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda indicate a positive correlation between a heightened frequency of exposure to violent visuals and an increased manifestation of trauma. Data also show a dearth in psychosocial support, indicating a need for alternative mitigation strategies.

AB - The paradox of documenting history through gruesome visuals depicting the prominence of stories intrigues media researchers. Foundational work on the dual representation theory explains trauma transference to brain functions following disturbing emotional triggers. The analysis suggests an existing link between exposure to disturbing information and trauma. In East Africa, trauma and related psychological effects thrive amid rigid newsroom structures devoid of intervention mechanisms. The scarcity of trauma mitigations is not just an issue in journalism, but in society, as mental health concerns and other deprivations become common. Data from in-depth interviews with journalists reporting trauma in Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda indicate a positive correlation between a heightened frequency of exposure to violent visuals and an increased manifestation of trauma. Data also show a dearth in psychosocial support, indicating a need for alternative mitigation strategies.

KW - East African journalists

KW - journalism

KW - trauma

KW - visuals

KW - witnessing

KW - Cultural studies

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85193344261&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1177/10776958241242941

DO - 10.1177/10776958241242941

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:85193344261

JO - Journalism and Mass Communication Educator

JF - Journalism and Mass Communication Educator

SN - 1077-6958

ER -