Compassion Fatigue: Media's Impact, Ethics, and Photojournalism

This essay delves into the concept of compassion fatigue, examining the media's role in potentially desensitizing audiences to suffering through repeated exposure to traumatic images and news. It analyzes the ethical considerations faced by photojournalists, particularly the tension between professional duty and moral responsibility, using examples like Kevin Carter's iconic photograph. The essay reflects on the challenges of presenting compassion photography in a way that informs without overwhelming, questioning the media's practices while acknowledging the vital role journalists play in raising awareness. The author also expresses a desire to gain insight from photojournalists about their experiences with compassion fatigue. Desklib offers a platform to explore more such essays and assignments.

Running head: UNDERSTANDING COMPASSION FATIGUE
UNDERSTANDING COMPASSION FATIGUE
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

1
UNDERSTANDING COMPASSION FATIGUE
Media in today’s world holds the most significant position in the society and influences
people’s lives in every way. As explained by Hearns-Branaman (2016), media flourishes the
most in a democratic nation where the people possess the power to change. Now, with the
emergence of the social media, the people have access to all kinds of news and that too at an
unthinkable rate (Taylor 2012). It therefore becomes necessary for the traditional media to stay
put, compete and survive against this onslaught. Compassion fatigue provides a better
understanding of the working of the new media and that is why the subject has been chosen.
This assignment shall focus on compassion fatigue and media’s role in making people
immune to compassion. The assignment will also attempt to uncover the truth behind the so-
called compassion fatigue and try to compliment the extraordinary effort journalists put in order
to bring news and images.
The Photo Essay
The project was presented in five images that demonstrate the extraordinary skills of the
photojournalists in capturing timely incidences and events around the world. However, they are
at times criticized for neglecting morals and basic human rules. News channels also add to this
image as they rely on repeated broadcast of certain news that generates maximum reaction from
the audience. The project was mainly inspired from the theories of ethics in journalism that I
studied during the course. In an attempt to draw individual responses from the readers, none of
the images was captioned.
Compassion fatigue occurs when the audience’s attention decreases overtime owing to
the repeated broadcast of a certain incident or issue. It also occurs due to the way the media
cover international affairs and disseminates it to the audiences (Sacco and Bossio 2015). It is

2
UNDERSTANDING COMPASSION FATIGUE
however important to mention that the images and videos captured by the photojournalists have
exceptional significance and vitality to any incident. With my understanding of the various
ethical concepts associated with photojournalism, I am able to relate these to the concept of
compassion fatigue.
The images of suffering
With the beginning of the Syrian War and the rise of ISIS, the audiences are constantly
fed with images of suffering that cause pity and sometimes disgust to the people. Apart from the
most talked about image of the drowning boy Alyan Kurdi, many other pictures have managed to
catch people’s attention (Mortensen 2017). One such was the image of a boy in Syria’s Aleppo
who was seen covered in rubles and blood after the bombings. The image sent shivers around the
world but gradually it was suppressed with other news (Independent.co.uk 2018). This shows
that the compassion and emotion shown in the media does not last long in the audience’s
memory and gradually leads to compassion fatigue. The audiences become tired of the repeated
coverage of these issues and ultimately become immune to human sufferings as shown in the
media.
Ethics in photojournalism
Ethics comprise an important part of journalism and a sound knowledge of this is
important for any journalist especially photojournalists. It defines the contents the media is
allowed to show and the audiences are allowed to view. In the words of Sanders (2003), ethics is
media is an “oxymoron” and that it is just a way to “pay homage to the egos and need to succeed
for the media players”. Berry (2000) however argues, “having an understanding of the ethical
issues within the field of journalism offers a solid foundation for those practicing in this field”.

3
UNDERSTANDING COMPASSION FATIGUE
Perebinossoff (2016) views that photojournalists are often criticized for fulfilling their
professional duty and ignoring the moral duty. In the case of Kevin Carter, this instance can be
easily seen. In 1993, Carter took the heart-wrenching photo of a starving toddler in Sudan who
was being eyed by a vulture (100photos.time.com 2018). The photograph soon became a topic of
discussion and Carter was being criticized for not helping the toddler. Here, it cannot be clearly
established whether the photographer saved the child or not but it did raise questions about ethics
in photojournalism. Instances like these are in abundance in today’s world and these lead to what
we call compassion fatigue (Carter and Allan 2013).
The international media is mostly criticized for being biased about certain countries and
people. Giant media houses like the CNN, BBC, The Wall Street Journal and such are accused of
showing negative and false images of the developing nations ultimately leading to compassion
fatigue. Nowadays, argues Moeller (2002), the perception that the audiences are bored of the old
traditional way of presenting news has engulfed the media. Therefore, in an attempt to lure the
audiences and increase their TRP, news channels sell news that are of little significance in terms
of value.
Reflection
The major themes discussed in this reflection were the chief factors that defined the
images presented in the assignment. Prior to the inclusion of the images, extensive research was
performed in order to ensure error-free work. In my view, it was important to present the positive
side of compassion photography and counter the popular notion that too much compassion
creates fatigue. However, I primarily aimed to provide an analysis that both questions the role of
the media and appreciates the work of the photojournalists. I tried to present the effort

4
UNDERSTANDING COMPASSION FATIGUE
photojournalists put into bringing images and videos to inform the audiences and aware them of
the happenings around the world. Despite that, they are sometimes criticized for being inhuman
and devoid of feelings but they are not appreciated for the work they do.
In performing this task, I faced the challenge to pick selective images that signified
compassion. In addition to that, I also had to make sure that these images had been repeatedly
used in the media. Further, I had to make sure that the photographs were of the highest level
demonstrating the photographer’s skills and perception capability. Although I am satisfied with
the content that I was able to gather, I wish I had the chance to meet photojournalists and learn
about compassion fatigue from their perspective.

5
UNDERSTANDING COMPASSION FATIGUE
Bibliography:
100photos.time.com (2018). The Importance Behind the Photo of a Starving Child and a Vulture.
[online] 100 Photographs | The Most Influential Images of All Time. Available at:
http://100photos.time.com/photos/kevin-carter-starving-child-vulture [Accessed 4 Apr. 2018].
Berry, D., 2000. Trust in media practices: towards cultural development. Ethics and media
culture: practices and representations, pp.29-49.
Carter, C. and Allan, S., 2013. questions about popular journalism. Ethics and media culture:
Practices and representations, p.132.
Hearns-Branaman, J.O., 2016. Journalism and the Philosophy of Truth: Beyond Objectivity and
Balance (Vol. 14). Routledge.
Independent.co.uk (2018). The bruised, bloodied and stunned face of a child sums up the horror
in Syria. [online] The Independent. Available at:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/syria-civil-war-the-picture-which-
shows-the-suffering-of-the-children-of-aleppo-a7196571.html [Accessed 4 Apr. 2018].
Moeller, S.D., 2002. Compassion fatigue: How the media sell disease, famine, war and death.
Routledge.
Mortensen, M., 2017. Constructing, confirming, and contesting icons: the Alan Kurdi imagery
appropriated by# humanitywashedashore, Ai Weiwei, and Charlie Hebdo. Media, Culture &
Society, 39(8), pp.1142-1161.

6
UNDERSTANDING COMPASSION FATIGUE
Perebinossoff, P., 2016. Real-world media ethics: Inside the broadcast and entertainment
industries. Focal Press.
Sacco, V. and Bossio, D., 2015. Using social media in the news reportage of War & Conflict:
Opportunities and Challenges. The Journal of Media Innovations, 2(1), pp.59-76.
Sanders, K., 2003. Ethics and journalism. Sage.
Taylor, P., 2012. Hackers: Crime and the digital sublime. Routledge.