Informed Reporting

Description: In Australia, it’s summer as Christmas and New Years approach, which means everyone is on holiday at a time when disaster is most likely to strike. In this episode, Dr. Sharon Smith talks about her article, “It’s Trauma Season” that explored Australian journalists’ exposure to trauma at this crucial time of low staffing and high probabilities for extreme weather. With 30 years’ experi...

Description: Sam Ragland from the American Press Institute is about as passionate as you can get about keeping journalists healthy. In this episode, we talk about her own journey with trauma and burnout and how it fueled her fire for teaching journalists and newsroom leaders how to be more resilient. From the right newsroom, to the right people, to the right language, we dig in on burnout, culture...

Description Journalism can sometimes be a difficult job, but what makes it difficult can differ widely depending on who you are. On this episode, I talk with Dr. Kris Vera-Phillips about her recently published article, “Don’t Risk Your Life’: How BIPOC Journalists Navigate Identity, Newsroom Routines, and Safety in U.S. Broadcast News,” which was published in Journalism and Media in March 2026. Ve...

Description: Legendary local meteorologist James Spann knows what it’s like to bear the responsibility of keeping people safe during severe weather. For nearly half a century, he’s been forecasting in one of the deadliest weather markets in the country – Alabama. On this episode, he opens up about being on air during the deadly 2011 tornado outbreak that killed more than 250 people in Alabama, and...

Description: Journalists are passionate, and even during big and stressful moments, they put the story first. But that can lead to mental and emotional strain including burnout. That’s why Carolyn Fox has made it her priority to create newsrooms that recognize the importance of caring for their journalists, especially during times of high stress. In this episode, she talks about her roles in manag...

Description It was April in Northern Ireland when journalist Lyra McKee was shot and killed during a riot in 2019. Fellow journalist Leona O’Neill not only witnessed the murder, but in the year and a half after, endured an onslaught of hate and threats from conspiracy theorists on social media. She developed PTSD from the trauma of both the shooting and the backlash and was forced to leave her lif...

Description: In this delightful conversation with Joe Hight, we explore his 50 years in newspaper journalism through the lens of trauma. Joe discusses a holistic approach to looking at trauma from the perspectives of the victims, the community and the journalists who cover it. And he should know…. As the Community Editor of The Oklahoman , he oversaw their award-winning and innovative coverage of...

Description Former journalist and doctoral student Indri Maulidar talks about her study of journalists who covered the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami and the effects of anniversary coverage on their mental health and well-being. In this episode we talk about the effects of anniversary coverage on journalists as well as the victims themselves, how journalists who cover big events become “experts” of that...

Description: On this episode, I team up with Dr. Mimi Perreault from the University of South Florida to talk all things disaster reporting. We dig into the vital role journalists play before, during and after natural disaster hits, as well as how to build relationships with your community that pay dividends in the aftermath. We also discuss how coverage of the victims can lead to meaningful change...

Description It’s never easy starting out in your first job as a reporter, but trying doing it right as a historic pandemic takes hold of the country. Follow that up with two police-involved fatal shootings, and you have the first few years of Anna Huntsman’s journalism career at Ideastream Public Radio in Cleveland, Ohio. In this episode, she talks candidly about how hard her first years were and...

Description In this episode, Dr. Denetra Walker breaks down the findings of her study, “’I saw a modern-day lynching’ – Black Journalists’ experiences of trauma #reportingwhileblack,” which was published in Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly in 2025. She provides a fascinating look into the emotional trauma the story caused for her study participants, plus the delicate balancing act Bla...

Description Jesus Ayala was an award-winning TV news producer with ABC News before becoming a broadcast journalism professor (where he continues to win awards).  In this episode, he speaks candidly about his battle with complex PTSD that eventually drove him from journalism, and how he now uses his experience to help better prepare his students and other journalists for the potential dangers of th...

In this episode of Informed Reporting, Dr. Lisa Krantz discusses her transition from an award-winning career in journalism to academia, focusing on the intersection of journalism and trauma. She shares her experiences covering mass shootings, particularly in Sutherland Springs and Uvalde, and the emotional toll it takes on journalists. The discussion highlights findings from her dissertation that...

Description: In this candid conversation, Meteorologist and Journalist Stephanie Weaver talks about her successes and challenges in her career, balancing work and home as a mom, covering the LA wildfires in 2025, and learning to be her own best advocate. She also talks about her podcast, “I am Not a Weather Girl,” and offers advice for journalists who are new to the field. Chapters 00:00 Introduct...

Description Dr. Kari James is an accomplished clinician, researcher, educator and advocate for resilience after trauma. In this fascinating conversation, we dig into her main area of research – moral injury – and how it applies to journalists. We talk about what causes moral injury and how it’s different from, but often confused with, PTSD. We also talk about symptoms and how to build resilience a...

Description Charlie Scudder is an award-winning journalist from Dallas, Texas. He’s covered many tragedies including the 2016 Dallas police shootings, the 2019 shooting spree in Midland-Odessa, and the school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde in 2022. In this episode Charlie candidly discusses his struggles with mental health because of his work, and the tools he learned to use to keep him hea...

Description In this inaugural episode of the “Informed Reporting” podcast, Drs. Gretchen Hoak and Adrienne Garvey explore the often-overlooked issue of trauma in journalism, discussing personal experiences, coping mechanisms, and the role of academia in addressing these challenges. The conversation highlights the importance of peer support, the impact of newsroom culture, and the need for mental h...

Coming March 16, a new podcast for journalists, journalism students and educators. Join host Dr. Gretchen Hoak, former reporter turned journalism professor, to talk candidly about what it's like to chase the story. Each week, hear from researchers, professors, and working journalists about the harder parts of the job that journalists don't get trained for.