Nonverbal Neutrality of Broadcasters Covering Crisis

Nonverbal behaviors have the ability to transmit bias, influence audiences, and impact perceptions of journalists. Yet journalists report receiving little to no training on nonverbal communication, despite often being placed in emotional, chaotic situations that affect their ability to remain neutral during coverage. This book provides theoretical and methodological contributions, as well as applicable advice, to assist researchers', instructors', and journalists' understandings of ongoing boundary negotiations of this rarely discussed but highly impactful aspect of objectivity. Through the proposal of the Nonverbal Neutrality Theory, it outlines predictive patterns and routines that contribute to the variability of nonverbal neutrality, and equips readers, including industry professionals and journalism educators, with examples of best practice to help better plan for crisis coverage. The work draws on journalists' reflections on professional norms and conceptualizations of nonverbal neutrality, vicarious traumatization, and social- and organizational-level influences.
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