Recovering from a Natural Disaster: The Poster Project in the City of Onagawa, Japan

Abstract

Journalistic objectivity is the ideal that reporting should be based purely on facts without allowing a journalists’ personal values, beliefs, and emotions into a story. However, in today’s changing media environment, the principle of objectivity continues to be questioned. The present study examines the objectivity of local journalistsimmediately following the Eastern Japan Great Earthquake. In particular, we discuss the Kahoku Shin pōposter project in the city of Onagawa, where extensive earthquake damage occurred. One of the findings is that, in a departure from objectivity, journalistic compassion is a great tool for connecting with the local community and forassisting with the recovery effort in the area.