Experts, stating that visual news broadcasting is an area that should employ experienced personnel, say that professionals working in this field must consider that repetitive traumatic images can have negative effects on the psychology of society.
Associate Professor Dr. Esennur Sirer noted that images repeatedly broadcast after tragic events such as fires and plane crashes could be seen as news content producers in the media pressing the panic button without empathy, stating, “Using images of a tragedy for ‘more views’ is learned helplessness. The purpose of news is to inform people, explain, and help individuals make sense of events, not to exploit their emotions.”
Associate Professor Dr. Esennur Sirer, Head of the Radio, Television and Cinema Department at Uskudar University, drawing attention to the effects of traumatic images in the media on society, emphasized that these contents should be handled responsibly.
Experienced personnel are important in visual news broadcasting!
Associate Professor Dr. Esennur Sirer stated that images repeatedly broadcast after tragic events such as fires, plane crashes, etc., could be seen as news content producers in the media pressing the panic button without empathy, adding, “Visual news broadcasting is an area that should employ experienced personnel. Because in terms of visual content, media organizations fulfill their duties by considering ethical responsibilities while observing public interest. Professionals working in this field must consider that repetitive traumatic images can have negative effects on the psychology of society. A balance must be observed in published images so as not to hinder the public's right to information. For this purpose, general images showing the scene of the incident gain importance. However, caution should be exercised when providing detailed images. Close-up images of injured persons, especially children, should ideally not be used, and if shown, a blurring method should be applied. If possible, alternative information methods such as text, graphics, and simulations should be used. This balance is critically important for the media to both fulfill its informing duty and to show sensitivity to social well-being.”
Disturbing content should not be used except in necessary cases!
Dr. Sirer stated that it is the ethical and professional responsibility of media organizations to maintain a balance between the aim of reflecting facts in news broadcasts and protecting viewers from disturbing images, adding, “This balance should be achieved with an approach that aims to protect the emotional and psychological health of viewers while fulfilling the news's informing duty by considering public interest. It is important that disturbing content is not used except in unnecessary cases, and if used, preferably with permission and stripped of unnecessary details. Furthermore, instead of images with disturbing content that could affect mental health, graphics, animations, and simulation visuals should be preferred. Such images are available in the news archives of broadcasting organizations and can be instantly broadcast digitally,” she said.
Repetition of traumatic content can increase social unrest
Associate Professor Dr. Esennur Sirer noted that the repetition of traumatic content can strengthen the perception that the event's impact is greater among individuals and increase social unrest, stating, “Conversely, continuous exposure can also lead to emotional fatigue and desensitization to events in individuals. Therefore, media organizations are expected to fulfill their informing duty in a balanced manner instead of fueling social anxieties, and to act moderately and responsibly in the publication of such content. Otherwise, social fear, panic, and security concerns can be triggered,” she said.
Recent plane crash images
Associate Professor Dr. Esennur Sirer also stated that the constantly featured images of falling planes in the media, following recent fires and successive plane crashes, bring to mind the mise-en-scène of Hollywood films, adding, “Using images of a tragedy for ‘more views’ is learned helplessness. This approach, besides being disrespectful to the victims experiencing the pain of the event, is a recurring situation to turn the tragedy into commercial material. The purpose of news is to inform people, explain, and help individuals make sense of events, not to exploit their emotions. Instead of dramatizing such events for ratings, media organizations should approach them with sensitivity and professionalism, ensuring that human values are not overlooked while informing the public. If individuals feel their suffering is being exploited, they lose trust in the media. This situation causes the media, referred to as the fourth estate in a societal context and functioning in the operation of pluralistic-democratic processes, to fall into disrepute,” she concluded.