WHEN THE JOURNALIST BECOMES THE SUBJECT: IDENTITY, VULNERABILITY, AND THE PRACTICE OF IMMERSIVE JOURNALISM

This article examines the psychological and ethical dimensions of immersive journalism, in which the reporter temporarily embodies another’s role, merging the functions of narrator and participant. Drawing on the author’s long-term experience of performing more than one hundred professions across sixty countries, the study analyzes how role-playing influences self-perception, cultivates empathy, and reshapes audience reception. Special attention is given to the issues of authenticity and the ethical boundaries of journalistic responsibility. The paper argues that vulnerability and a willingness to undergo personal transformation are essential for producing profound, empathetic storytelling capable of shifting social perceptions.