An unprecedented online survey aims to gather a complete picture of the mental health and well-being of Canadian journalists and others involved in news and editorial work.
The Taking Care Survey is seeking anonymous input from thousands of newsroom staff and freelance journalists.
Endorsed by numerous industry groups, including the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) and the Fédération professionelle des journalistes du Québec (FPJQ), the first-of-its-kind research project is being led by Matthew Pearson, an assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Communication at Carleton University in Ottawa, and Dave Seglins, a veteran journalist and trainer with CBC News, in partnership with the Canadian Journalism Forum on Violence and Trauma.
The survey will collect responses throughout the month of November. While there is growing awareness that journalism is a high-risk profession, routinely involving exposure to all kinds of stresses and traumatic events, there has never been a study of this scale conducted in Canada exploring the mental health of journalists and the effects of the work they do.
“We need a broad picture of the state of mental health, well-being and support for journalists wherever they are in the country or abroad” said Seglins, in a release. “In addition to the professional associations, we’ve got unions, news organizations, representatives of various associations from a whole diversity of perspectives, who want to see this data. That’s been heartening because it tells me there is a recognized need.”
The design of the survey was guided by Dr. Anthony Feinstein of the University of Toronto, a world-leader in research into effects of trauma on journalists in conflict situations and a mental health advisor to several international media organizations. The survey is being funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and approved by the research ethics board at Carleton University.
A report, based on the data collected, will be published in 2022 that will both paint a picture of the current state of mental health and well-being of Canadian media workers and identify gaps in support available to journalists.
“Whether reporting on the pandemic, racism, or climate change, doing journalism is becoming more emotionally taxing every day,” said Fatima Syed, Vice-President of the CAJ, and a reporter with The Narwhal and host of The Backbench podcast. “I’ve seen journalists cry publicly and privately. I’ve heard reporters admit to feeling total despair and futility. To help, we need to first understand the extent of mental health struggles members of our industry are experiencing. That’s why this survey is so important.”
The Taking Care Survey is available in both French and English on the Canadian Journalism Forum on Violence and Trauma’s website.
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