Portland, Ore. ABC affiliate KATU took what amounted to a mental health day this morning.
According to station photojournalist Mike Warner, the station canceled its morning and afternoon newscasts because its employees were taking a seminar to help journalists cope with on-the-job stress and trauma.
“In almost 25 years as a photojournalist, I’ve never seen a newsroom do this,” said Warner in a thread. ” But it’s been a crazy time filled with a raging pandemic, out of control violence, political unrest, riots, and ongoing death & destruction. Personally speaking, seeing bodies daily gets to you #stress.”
Warner said a team from the Poynter Institute is putting on the seminar for the whole team.
“It’s hard for us news folks to just stop,” said Warner. “But I am grateful for a company and managers who care about our mental health and well being. We’ll still be keeping an eye on things, just taking a day to feel better. Thanks for watching, see ya Tuesday! #LiveOnK2 #stresstostrength.”
We asked the station news director about it, but haven’t heard back.
Here’s Warner’s thread about it:
NO NEWS MONDAY… just a heads up, the @KATUNews morning and afternoon shows have been preempted and will NOT air on Monday, Sep. 27th. The entire news team is attending a seminar to help deal with on-the-job stress and trauma… #stressmanagement #LiveOnK2 pic.twitter.com/TQSsAsoYrN
— Mike Warner (@MikeKATU) September 27, 2021