“A feeling reporter, not a robotic reporter”: Empathy, emotions, resilience, and vicarious post-traumatic growth after mass shootings

This study seeks to understand the experiences of journalists reporting on mass shootings. It explores the roles of empathy and emotionality and asks if normalizing them in journalism practice can strengthen resilience and promote vicarious post-traumatic growth. Although empathy and displays of emotion are not yet embraced as journalistic norms such as objectivity, all participants spoke of the importance of empathy, particularly when covering mass shootings. Interviews with 23 journalists who reported on the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas provide insight into their experiences. Although some participants differed in their views of shared emotionality, empathy, resilience, and vicarious post-traumatic growth were evident.