“Talk as if it doesn’t impact you”: Black TV journalist’s experiences covering BLM protests in the U.S.

This article explores the effects that covering Black Lives Matter protests had on Black TV journalists. Using in-depth semi-structured interviews with 14 Black journalists across the U.S., this study investigates their experiences covering BLM protests, as well as how supported they felt by their organizations/supervisors. Through qualitative interviews, research shows that Black journalists felt torn between their identities as both journalists and Black—navigating objective reporting with a deep emotional empathy for protestors. Moreover, they did not feel supported by their news organizations, who did not prioritize their well-being, and who tailored news coverage for a White audience. The intersectional implications of this are discussed as well as concerns about emotional labor.