Professional project report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts in Journalism from the School of Journalism, University of Missouri--Columbia.This project is a case study using qualitative research methods to examine mental health impacts of TV news field journalists who cover breaking news and severe weather on a consistent basis. The study also uses the cognitive appraisal theory to look at how journalists act, react, cope, and exhibit emotional responses while covering breaking news and severe weather stories. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 TV news field journalists and one TV news manager within The E.W. Scripps Company to answer the following research question: What are the mental health impacts TV news field crews experience from consistent coverage of breaking news and severe weather? Interviews with the TV news field journalists focused on their experience covering breaking news and severe weather in their careers, personal and professional impacts from this type of coverage, how they act, react, cope and exhibit emotions while covering breaking news and severe weather, their experience with trauma training, and any areas of opportunity they feel could help the industry regarding this issue. The interview with the TV news manager focused on their experience covering breaking news and severe weather in their career, their mental health philosophy as a TV news manager, areas of opportunity they believe could be useful, and their responses to areas of opportunity brought up by TV news field journalists interviewed in this project. The answer to the overall research question brought a variety of different responses when it comes to mental health impacts. Similar trends could be found in answers related to trauma training experience and areas of opportunity to address this issue.Includes bibliographical references
