Commemorating trauma: The impact of anniversary journalism on journalists’ mental health and well-being

Abstract

This study examines the long-term mental health effects of anniversary journalism on journalists who covered the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, one of the most devastating natural disasters in recent history. Through in-depth qualitative interviews, this research investigates how the ritual of commemorative reporting—often revisiting traumatic events years after they occurred—affects journalists’ mental well-being. Past studies have dealt with implication of journalist who cover natural disaster shortly after the event, yet only little has been explored about the long-term mental health implications. Based on the analysis, the study found that journalists experienced flashbacks, especially near the anniversary of the tsunami, and the intensity of these flashbacks increased when they were assigned by the newsroom to write the commemorative issue. The journalists also reflected on the lack of organizational support and the sense of survivors’ guilt. The implications of this study are beneficial in understanding the long-term toll of this profession.