EPISODE · May 11, 2026 · 14 MIN
The trauma trope: can humanitarian journalism do better?
from Late Night Live - Separate stories podcast · host Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Whether it’s Ukraine, Gaza, Yemen or Sudan, journalists reporting on conflict zones across the world, want their stories of human suffering on the front pages. The belief: if that suffering is witnessed and documented, the world will do something about it.Now more than ever, that doesn’t seem to be happening. In her latest essay, journalist Cathy Otten argues the relationship between reported suffering and meaningful change has always been slippery.Guest: Cathy Otten, journalist and visiting assistant Professor of Media Ethics and Journalism at Rutgers University in New Jersey, US. Producer: Ali Benton
What this episode covers
Whether it’s Ukraine, Gaza, Yemen or Sudan, journalists reporting on conflict zones across the world, want their stories of human suffering on the front pages. The belief: if that suffering is witnessed and documented, the world will do something about it. Now more than ever, that doesn’t seem to be happening. In her latest essay, journalist Cathy Otten argues the relationship between reported suffering and meaningful change has always been slippery. Guest: Cathy Otten, journalist and visiting assistant Professor of Media Ethics and Journalism at Rutgers University in New Jersey, US. Producer: Ali Benton
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The trauma trope: can humanitarian journalism do better?
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