CHAPTER Ⅳ: ANALYSIS & DISCUSSIONS
4.2 Comprehensibility
4.2.2 What has Changed on Comprehensibility…
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Even J didn’t think he would have negative emotion to his covering after the recollection, but the wife with tears still in his mind.
In spite of some sad emotions, some interviewees noted that the profession itself makes them always on alert and in a status of searching news, and the habit of searching news may give them different concerns when witness to a tragedies, they seems be more “ cruel but under a coat of being rational” which comes from respondent A’s remarks. Always being on alert is a burden they regard as an occupational disease, but hard to tell it is either positive or negative. Also as F said that:
Respondent F: “… being a journalist, I think the profession has its occupational customs, when we are witness to an accident, as an instinct, we would instantly think whether it could be constructed as a news story.”
4.2.2 What has Changed on Comprehensibility
After the workshop, journalists recognized what is trauma and have started to search the possible trauma stimuli in their life, and factors which creates stress or pressure on them. And the findings are as follows.
Socialization is not enough
People all have some weakness even they look strong. Respondent D, a TV journalist, work for a free to air national TV station for many years, said that he used to believe that people can be strong by socialization, and the process of socialization is enough to help them
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to find out some ways to deal with traumatic situations or not get hurt. But after the workshop, he changed his thought,
Respondent D: “(in the workshop) I was a little reminded of… even a strong person, also has the same feeling or weakness just as a normal one, the strong one may just hind his weakness or choose not show it up, but it doesn’t mean that he won’t get hurt … ”.
Awareness connected the stimuli and responses
D said that learned the facts about trauma in the covering work did help. He used a metaphor to describe why it is helpful. There are many reasons to cause the light off; it may caused by the problem of the light bulb or the regional power off. And to the situation, there are different approaches for seeking help as well, to the plumber or to the power company.
Without a knowledge based on examination of causes, people may make useless effort and still can’t find the way out. In the interview, D said that:
Respondent D: “I feel that knowledge or understanding itself is a power, it helps you to understand what’s going on. And in the future, when you face the same situation or recollect the past experience, it also gives you strength to gain resilience and relief. You finally know that why you have these feelings, and recognize these feelings are not special, abnormal and which makes you feel shameful… it is just a human feeling.”
The awareness about trauma for D is a new experience, for him didn’t think about that before. he has have a more positive attitude for the new-gained awareness, and thought that
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based on the knowledge he could be more prepared for the coming challenge about facing traumatic stress from assignment, because he know why and how he would be influenced from covering trauma news, also as he noticed it is an issue, he could found out some appropriate strategies to deal with that or at least he would feel he have more strength to the problem by understanding.
Another journalist B, who is also a TV journalist for 9 years and now works in public media feel the understanding helped him realized how he was influenced by the trauma from assignments, he said:
Respondent B: “… after the workshop, I found out I have some hidden trauma… I would not think that covering disaster would make me hurt before, but after workshop I found that I did recollect the traumatic images sometimes and that is a trauma to me… ”.
Especially, B also found out he was impatient with his family and had bad temper during a period of constantly covering crime news, “I thought I had trauma at that time” B said. He also shared that understanding the fact of trauma could help him to know what’s going on and whether it influenced on them.
Respondent B: “I would start to notice what causes trauma and the fact that covering cause trauma as well … and figure out how I could deal with these trauma… I would reflect on the connections between the traumatic scenes and myself, and start to think of how can I obviate the trauma or make resilience… at least create a heal procedure to the next trauma”.
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But the awareness about trauma had a different effect on different people, some like B and D who recollected the ignored trauma memories and have started to find out the problems and influence these brought. Instead, another TV journalist E with 14-year experience has became more easily to forget the impressed trauma covering.
E was surprised at that, because when I interviewed him about his past experiences about covering trauma before workshop, he jokingly said he would feel trauma for the recollection, complaining that the scene he almost forgot came back in his mind for my request and he would need some time to forget again. Three months later, in the second interview, he felt he would more easily to forget trauma memory than before. E didn't know why, even his colleague gave a reason for that during the second interview that he leave these behind for he has to raise 9 people and the heavy burden makes him have no time to think. But E didn't think so because “the burden is the same before or after workshop” (Respondent E). The three cases show that awareness about trauma brings different effects, but to these journalists no matter the recollected or the one who forgot, they regarded these as positive change for them.
Moreover, even like respondent I, a senior press journalist and also a regional chief of his newspaper, didn't identify with he has the trauma problem which the workshop raised, but that make respondent I have a concept about the demands of other journalists and respect the problem. He said that:
Respondent I:” even I don’t agree with it for I don’t feel like this, but it made me know that other journalists’may have the problem. ”
The insensitivity extended to the private life
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Respondent C, a young journalist with 7-year experience said that after the workshop he found that “coldly deposition or other reactions are also one of trauma reactions”
(Respondent C). The traumatic responses are not limited to depression or profound grief, alienation and insensitivity are also need to be counted in for they are not normal reactions as well. In fact, he found out when he felt nothing to do for the victims’ grief and was fear to hurt victims again; he would evade doing the follow-up report about the news, and persuading himself to stay in a feeling of apathy. And the disposition is also extended to his private life when he listen to his friends complained about something, the one who used to have emotions with his friend, gradually has become a more silent person.
The pressure from friendship and social connections
Dispatched journalists spend more time to build relationships with local communities, and pressure from these social connections may be a more influential factor in their work.
These connections help they get the material for their news, but make “burden” on journalists when they covering news as well. Especially Taitung people don't get used to face the camera lens, and seldom appeal to media for help. Taitung Journalists often contact these subjects through the common acquaintances, and make these subjects more willing to accept the requests for further interviews, and can avoid directly give pressure to the victims. But friendships may also make journalists feel stressful when they do some covering which is detrimental to your connections. It is hard when the news subjects are your friends or have connections with your friends, and the story you are going to cover is not good for them.
Respondent E: “… if he/she were my friend… I would evade some details on purpose… such as I would choose to give it(the story) up if the story is not critical… or take a
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long shot instead of a frontal shot. ”
E admitted that there is a differential treatment when the news subjects are his friends and he once had a big dispute with his company for not willing to do some reports which have possible to hurt the subjects, because he treasured the long-term relationship with the subjects.
During the dispute, there had a moment, he would rather quit than hurting his “friends”. In fact, E’s angry was not only for the friendship or the sympathy with the subject, what’s more, he felt really tired of asking some questions which is unnecessary and cruel.
Respondent E::” … I stood in a position as a friend rather than as a journalist… I even want to quit my job… I couldn't put personal emotions aside and felt fidgety… ”
A young press journalists H recollected that he once in a dilemma between to report or not report, because the victim is the son of his friend, an old police officer. And the son of the old police was doubted that committed suicide with his wife for leading insurance to pay the debt. H got the news from other police friend and felt tortured about whether report the story or not at that time, at first he did a decision that not report and had an agreement with the old police officer. The agreement is about if the old police officer has not accepted interviews from other press, H wouldn’t report. But later the old police officer broke their agreement, H had no choice, he had to file the story back to Taipei. In the end, as the story had some specific value, including the first coverage and the follow-up story, all published in a significant place of pages. One thing interesting was that during the period of the agreement between H had the old police officer, H still collected the relevant material and keep these material in hand for preventing the police would broke his promise. That may pointed out
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even H feel conflicted in mind for do the coverage which apparently detrimental to his friend, he still had to do some preparation for the broken of the arrangement.
The lingering regrets
Respondent A shared a covering experience which makes him feel regret for a long time, even until now. It is about an accidental death of an actor. Before the bad news was delivered to the family of the celebrity, Respondent A was requested to turn on his video camera, entering to the celebrity’s home and told the mother that her son was dead. The video he filmed up recorded the mother’s strong grief. The mother was shock and even rolled on the ground painfully. After that image was broadcasted, Respondent A was condemned by the public and his own conscience, he said that he had hesitated but still did as what his company commanded.
Respondent A: “at that time, my boss told me that you are salaried by the company and you have to give up your human nature… you did that as it is your job… stop talking now, just press the record button, get in and tell her the bad news… ”.
Respondent A thought a lot after the incident, and felt he had many other options to replace the behavior he did; he could go with a police or a borough warden or even just make a excuse to evade directly entering, no matter which way, for him these options are all better than what he did. “I thought that I am too obedient… ”Respondent A said in a tone of regret.
Respondent A also mentioned that : “sometimes, our human nature followed our salary, … even sometimes I feel we could really be in other’s shoes and think for them, but
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sometimes I feel I am hypercritical, because I just want to finish my assignment ”.
A feeling of being hypercritical make respondent A feel sorry to victims, and the sorry feeling always makes him feel distress but hard to make change.