Taylor J. Olson

2017 National College Media Convention Panel

Along with 3 classmates, I held a panel on the importance of employing an ethic of empathy when reporting on vulnerable populations. All four of us took an aspect of Dr. Janet Blank-Libra's book, Pursuing an Ethic of Empathy in Journalism, and applied it to current events. 

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I specifically spoke on the importance of dispelling harmful stereotypes when reporting. I cited John Hersey's Hiroshima and connected his ability to put readers in the shoes of people impacted by the atomic bombs to show human suffering from another's worldview. Then, I analyzed a series of stories dubbed "Fifty-One Inches" done by the Houston Chronicle; this series showed how Hurricane Harvey impacted several people, including frequently stereotyped populations such as a refugee and single mother. By employing empathy in their reporting, the journalists were able to show an accurate depiction of what it meant to be a human being trying to survive a natural disaster. The bottom line? It is possible to be both an objective and empathetic reporter. 

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Listen to the full panel here:

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If you want to learn more about the conference, click here.