Most people think journalists are trained to stay detached, to report the story, and not feel it.
But what happens when the story breaks you?
In this episode we talk with journalist and researcher Louisa Ortiz Pérez, founder of the Media Resilience Network, who launched a groundbreaking survey exploring the emotional toll of journalism during the era of layoffs, audience distrust, and constant crisis coverage.
Louisa reveals what her data shows about:
🧠 Burnout, anxiety, and “moral injury” in the newsroom
💔 How layoffs and social media toxicity are reshaping reporters’ sense of purpose
🎙️ Why many journalists feel silenced, even in organizations built to tell the truth
🌍 And what needs to change to make journalism sustainable again
This conversation is candid, compassionate, and deeply human: a look at what it really means to do the work of journalism when the industry itself is falling apart.
How do we rebuild trust, without breaking the journalists who keep us informed?
00:00 - Start
02:11 - Jenna Remembers the Trauma of Sandy Hook
08:05 - Technology Changed the Game
11:08 - When You Are the Story
14:31 - You Shouldn’t Have to Shrug It Off
17:04 - Journalism Can Make You Sick
18:26 - Put Your Foot Down
22:37 - A Human Condition: A Play About Journalism
25:06 - Take the Veneer Off
27:28 - We Can’t Be Unseen
35:35 - Journalists Need 2 Things to Heal
44:49 - The Algorithm IS NOT Your Friend
48:08 - Only People Not Bots Can Do Journalism
52:29 - PTSD Should Be Recognized
55:15 - Why Did You Become a Journalist?
Media Resilience Network
https://mdrnet.org/
Take the Survey:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdAXBQMP8wgy_ecx2dh4WeqAb3fSUyIh8fndSkZrYBGR22yNg/viewform
All content for Laid Off and Looking is the property of News is changing. We're telling the story! and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Most people think journalists are trained to stay detached, to report the story, and not feel it.
But what happens when the story breaks you?
In this episode we talk with journalist and researcher Louisa Ortiz Pérez, founder of the Media Resilience Network, who launched a groundbreaking survey exploring the emotional toll of journalism during the era of layoffs, audience distrust, and constant crisis coverage.
Louisa reveals what her data shows about:
🧠 Burnout, anxiety, and “moral injury” in the newsroom
💔 How layoffs and social media toxicity are reshaping reporters’ sense of purpose
🎙️ Why many journalists feel silenced, even in organizations built to tell the truth
🌍 And what needs to change to make journalism sustainable again
This conversation is candid, compassionate, and deeply human: a look at what it really means to do the work of journalism when the industry itself is falling apart.
How do we rebuild trust, without breaking the journalists who keep us informed?
00:00 - Start
02:11 - Jenna Remembers the Trauma of Sandy Hook
08:05 - Technology Changed the Game
11:08 - When You Are the Story
14:31 - You Shouldn’t Have to Shrug It Off
17:04 - Journalism Can Make You Sick
18:26 - Put Your Foot Down
22:37 - A Human Condition: A Play About Journalism
25:06 - Take the Veneer Off
27:28 - We Can’t Be Unseen
35:35 - Journalists Need 2 Things to Heal
44:49 - The Algorithm IS NOT Your Friend
48:08 - Only People Not Bots Can Do Journalism
52:29 - PTSD Should Be Recognized
55:15 - Why Did You Become a Journalist?
Media Resilience Network
https://mdrnet.org/
Take the Survey:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdAXBQMP8wgy_ecx2dh4WeqAb3fSUyIh8fndSkZrYBGR22yNg/viewform
Data Journalism Isn’t Boring - You're Just Doing It Wrong
Laid Off and Looking
58 minutes
3 weeks ago
Data Journalism Isn’t Boring - You're Just Doing It Wrong
Think “data journalism” sounds dry? Think again.
In this smart (and surprisingly funny) episode of Laid Off and Looking, we talk with Jess Awtry, Vice President of Digital Strategy and Communications at the Pew Research Center, about how numbers, charts, and audience analytics are shaping the future of news.
Jess breaks down why data is more than spreadsheets, it’s storytelling, accountability, and the best defense we’ve got against misinformation and AI slop. From newsroom gut instincts to “clicks vs. credibility,” she explains how journalists can use data without losing their humanity (or their sense of humor).
🎙️ In this episode:
00:00 - Start
05:15 - Jess Awtry Interview
06:36 - What is Data Journalism
14:36 - Time Decay Attribution Model
36:41 - Will AI Impact Data Journalism?
41:33 - Polling Manipulation
45:28 - Longreads v TLDR
50:10 - Creator Model Journalism
54:39 - Why Did You Become a Journalist
💡 Whether you’re a data skeptic, a newsroom veteran, or just curious about how information really works, this one’s for you.
📈 Subscribe to Laid Off and Looking, where we talk about how journalism is changing, and the people trying to make sure the truth keeps up.
Laid Off and Looking
Most people think journalists are trained to stay detached, to report the story, and not feel it.
But what happens when the story breaks you?
In this episode we talk with journalist and researcher Louisa Ortiz Pérez, founder of the Media Resilience Network, who launched a groundbreaking survey exploring the emotional toll of journalism during the era of layoffs, audience distrust, and constant crisis coverage.
Louisa reveals what her data shows about:
🧠 Burnout, anxiety, and “moral injury” in the newsroom
💔 How layoffs and social media toxicity are reshaping reporters’ sense of purpose
🎙️ Why many journalists feel silenced, even in organizations built to tell the truth
🌍 And what needs to change to make journalism sustainable again
This conversation is candid, compassionate, and deeply human: a look at what it really means to do the work of journalism when the industry itself is falling apart.
How do we rebuild trust, without breaking the journalists who keep us informed?
00:00 - Start
02:11 - Jenna Remembers the Trauma of Sandy Hook
08:05 - Technology Changed the Game
11:08 - When You Are the Story
14:31 - You Shouldn’t Have to Shrug It Off
17:04 - Journalism Can Make You Sick
18:26 - Put Your Foot Down
22:37 - A Human Condition: A Play About Journalism
25:06 - Take the Veneer Off
27:28 - We Can’t Be Unseen
35:35 - Journalists Need 2 Things to Heal
44:49 - The Algorithm IS NOT Your Friend
48:08 - Only People Not Bots Can Do Journalism
52:29 - PTSD Should Be Recognized
55:15 - Why Did You Become a Journalist?
Media Resilience Network
https://mdrnet.org/
Take the Survey:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdAXBQMP8wgy_ecx2dh4WeqAb3fSUyIh8fndSkZrYBGR22yNg/viewform
