Over the past week, journalists across the country have worked long shifts to cover the election results while grappling with what their profession might look like under a second Trump administration — one that poses a real threat to fact-based journalism, according to several press freedom groups.
To learn more about how journalists are experiencing this moment, the Institute reached out to Vox Senior Politics Reporter Christian Paz to ask about what concerns he has for the next four years and how he’s handled working at such a fast pace.
What questions are you grappling with as it relates to the journalism industry following Donald Trump’s re-election?
Paz: I’m concerned that we won’t see the same kind of pro-journalism tilt from the electorate that we saw in the wake of the last Trump presidency. I’m worried about the economics of journalism.
I’m not even as worried about my own fatigue and exhaustion — I think I will rally and bounce back. I’m not even at the point of thinking about what D.C. itself will feel like under a second Trump presidency. I do have to admit, I’ll have to consider if I should stay within the city or move over the city lines, though.
How are you coping with the stress of this moment? What is keeping you going this week?
Paz: Honestly, I’m personally doing okay. I’m just so tired. I love data and try to integrate it into all of my work. So going through counties, crunching numbers, trying to see trends if there are any — it’s that curiosity that’s keeping me going this week.
Talking about the election results on podcasts and radio has also been a great way to process what I’m seeing, almost in real time. I’ve been covering these trends for a while and get to do, not exactly a victory lap, but a, “Look over here — we were explaining a lot of what was happening with young voters and voters of color for the last year at least.”
Are there any resources you’d recommend for working journalists to support their work or health right now?
Paz: I do think it’s important to take care of our physical health. I don’t know how much sleep I’ve been getting, but it’s not enough. I know I haven’t been eating normally, for sure.
But I think it’s going to be so important to lean on both our peers in the industry and also on our non-journalist friends. I’ve always been worried about living in a bubble. Perhaps one way to deal with mental health and stress is to build community outside of politics and journalism.
How are you or your newsroom adjusting to cover post-election issues within your community? Let us know at [email protected] to share your practices and advice with The Latest readers.