To be a good journalist one must possess multiple qualities like integrity, fairness, objectivity and truthfulness which are the key factors for building a powerful story with an impactful narrative. They are ought to be courageous in order to dig deeper into the matter and to comprehend the situation. But, one of the most underrated qualities of a journalist is empathy.
In simple terms empathy means an ability to grasp the emotions and feelings of others. In journalism it has a crucial role to play as it allows the journalist to dig deeper into the story. When we imply an empathetic approach to our work it encourages us to find out the intentions of the event, what thoughts went behind an individual to commit those actions which helps in going one step ahead in reporting. Moreover, if the event involves human impact it progressively helps to explore further. It is recognized as a tool that enables a connection with an individual. Empathy usually does not mean to become a part of the subject circumstances it is allowing the emotions created by those situations, a journalist’s job is to convey the data and meaning with human connectedness. This specific quality opens the conduit of connection which gives the data a soul.
Empathy performs a major role in regulating social relationships. It majorly occupies a central place fulfilling multiple roles and in news production. With this trait it enables to achieve extensive information at an interpersonal level. To inculcate empathy in journalism one needs to understand the party, express their understanding to them, seek confirmation from them if they feel comfortable and understood by the mediator and receive their confirmation. This approach is known as looping which is known is used by conflict mediators. Though, this method should not be misinterpreted in for taking an agreement. It focuses on having a genuine desire to understand better to what matters to the person who is being interviewed.
Empathy helps the presenter to find the right tone for the matter of subject, from reporting lighter stories to tragic stories. Allowing empathy to became a significant part of the process ensures that one has journalistic values of balance, fairness and accuracy. This quality is involved in story making and helps to create authenticity and relates to the news source as an individual. It can be understood by emotional labor. Incase this does not arise naturally it is needed to be performed to accomplish a task. To reach an audience from a very different cultural, social, economic background one must practice empathy in their work. Empathy provides a ground for dealing with emotions of the news protagonist and using it as a means in reporting and also affecting the emotional regulations of a journalist during news production. It is related to perceiving emotions of other people but also the deployment of emotions in the news and engaging the audience. Therefore, Empathy is a central resource in journalistic practice.
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