Fox News’ Yonat Friling took a different direction while transcribing what she’s seen covering the Israel-Hamas conflict. Even though she notes the horror of what she’s witnessed in her op-ed piece on the Fox News website, Friling touched on the mental side.
Covering natural disasters or conflicts such as war, reporters likely know they’re going into an area that will see them witness first-hand tragedies that will be difficult for the average person. Friling wrote that her dream job takes a toll that the viewer might not consider.
“I have been working in the news for almost 25 years,” Friling wrote. “I have always dreamt of being a journalist and am one of the fortunate ones who do what they love most. And while I cannot imagine myself doing anything else, I have realized in past years what a huge toll it has on my life …
“Covering trauma, whether these are major international stories or events much closer to home, can also impact those who do the reporting. Like the police, the fire and medical services, military personnel, and rescue workers, journalists are professional first responders to crises and disasters. But we are often among the last of those groups to recognize the psychological implications.”
Additionally, correspondents on the scene covering a conflict do put their lives in danger covering these incidents. Fox News knows this all too well with what occurred with Benjamin Hall, who was in Ukraine covering the war with Russia.
Friling ends her op-ed advising fellow journalists never to hesitate to reach out for help to deal with the emotional or physical damage they might have from covering these incidents.
“It takes a huge toll, professionally, mentally, and physically on our lives,” Friling wrote. “It impacts our close circles at home, work, and friends. Acknowledging feelings and choosing to talk about emotions is not a sign of weakness. On the contrary, this is an expression of resilience. We need to talk about it, share, and stop fighting the shame and vulnerability surrounding this issue.
“We should be compassionate and kinder with ourselves, just as we are with the people we meet in the field. We must find a new way to change the narrative around mental health. We should build better programs for journalists on coping during, after, and before such assignments.”
Eduardo Razo is the Assistant Content Editor for BNM, which includes writing daily news stories on the news media industry. He can be found on Twitter @eddierazo_ or you can reach him by email at eddie1991razo@gmail.com.
