Board Member Discusses Mass Shooting Coverage at SFBJA Job Fair

Lulu Ramadan

SPJ Florida board member and Palm Beach Post reporter Lulu Ramadan participated in an April 28 panel discussion on mass shootings alongside Neki Mohan, a WPLG anchor; Lance Dixon, a reporter at “New Tropic;” and Tania Francois, a WFOR assignment desk editor.

The panelists, who spoke at the annual South Florida Black Journalist Association career fair, shared insight on covering mass tragedies, particularly the Feb. 14 deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. More than 300 people attended the career fair, while more than a dozen engaged in the panel discussion from the audience.

 “It’s an unfortunate reality for today’s journalists that we have to prepare for mass shooting coverage,” Ramadan said. “It’s helpful to talk about with peers and professionals to get advice and guidance. I learned quite a bit from my peers and was glad to share what I could with future journalists.”

The panelists offered tips on tackling mass shootings from multiple angles, and self-care for journos who face these tragedies. Ramadan, who has covered three Florida mass shootings, shared insight on how young reporters can find information and sources amid the chaos. The engaged audience posed questions to panelists about how newsrooms tackle mass casualty reporting given the frequency of such events, the best ways to approach sources and how social media can be used as a tool to discover and deliver information.