Research dataset gathered during the RHD project that explored the the impact of online trauma threats faced by journalists during and immediately after the lockdowns (1Q 2020 to 3Q 2021) prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The research interviews with journalists and experts and the data extraction from the survey conducted for the Masters Research Project; The Impact of Online Trauma Threats Faced by Journalists: The Case of COVID-19 Imposed Remote Working Regimes.

Background

The global reach of the COVID-19 pandemic, with its sustained infection and fatality rates from the first quarter of 2020, deeply affected the majority of journalists across the world, who found themselves working on stories of trauma linked to the pandemic from remote locations and under restrictive working conditions. These COVID-19-enforced working conditions exponentially increased the exposure levels of online trauma threats faced by journalists. This research examines the confluence of online trauma threats and their manifestations and impacts, along with mitigative measures some journalists took to ease the impact of this confluence. The research was guided by the central question: ‘How are journalists experiencing and responding to online trauma threats they face in the line of work during and ‘post’ COVID-19 lockdowns?’ The research utilised three distinct yet interrelated methods: an online survey; in-depth, semi-structured interviews; and narrative case studies in the form of feature-length journalism. Thematic analysis of the survey and interviews provided a framework for the works of journalism, which are situated in broader contexts of the journalism profession and online trauma reporting. Responding to the increase in online trauma threat activity exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the research points towards potential transformations within the profession that might assist journalists to continue undertaking their important role in and for society.