摘要：FRA NKFuredi (2004) has argued that in Western "therapy culture," "indi-vidual emotions and experience have acquired an unprecedented signifi-cance in public life" (p. 44). To Furedi, the expression of emotions has beenrendered safe and depoliticized. In the contemporary newsworld, he argues,the public display of emotions is seen as an acceptable form of expression thatdoesn't threaten political or social stability. Here, we suggest that practicesof disaster reporting provide a useful case study of the public expression ofemotions. Discussing the coverage of disasters, British journalist Tessa Mayesdenounced what she calls "Therapy News":Emotional indulgence and sentimentalism are replacing infor-mative, facts-based news reporting. Today reporters are providingTherapy News. . . Unlike the past, contemporary news reports areswamped in emotion as if reporting and analysing feelings are thereporter's chief purpose. As a result, victims are granted expertstatus. . . . the new therapeutic approach is allowing victims to beless criticised and more counselled by the media . . . Therapy Newsoffers an over-indulgent feast of feeling, re-playing individuals'emotions back to us as if we all feel the same way. (Mayes, 2000)
