Witnessing Trauma in the Newsroom

Employees working in television newsrooms are exposed to video footage of violent events on a daily basis. It is yet unknown whether they subsequently develop symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder as has been shown for other populations exposed to trauma through television. We conducted an internet-based survey with 81 employees. Nearly 80% of the sample reported being familiar with recurring intrusive memories. However, the sample's overall posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms were low, although participants with a prior trauma, more general work stress, and a greater exposure to footage had a tendency to show more severe symptoms. Regarding general mental health, there were no differences compared with a journalistic control group. Results suggest that the population as such is not at a particular risk of developing mental problems.