In the age of social media and an ever-accelerating news cycle, the roles of reader, writer, and subject of news are under constant re-evaluation, in terms of the form, content, and purpose of news journalism. In the second part of our series ‘Roofless in Brno’, Rebeka Chudobova reflects on the ethical role of the journalist in reporting the stories of those on the margins of our society.
A Shift In Storytelling
In an age of relentless crises and digital overload, journalism faces a profound ethical and practical challenge: how to tell stories that not only inform but also empower. While empathy has long been celebrated as a journalistic virtue, inviting audiences to emotionally connect with others, there is a growing recognition that empathy alone may not be enough. Instead, a shift toward solidarity is emerging as a more sustainable and justice-oriented approach to reporting.
The Limits Of Empathy
Empathy in journalism is often framed as the ability to “walk in someone else’s shoes.” It humanizes subjects, fosters emotional connection, and can break down stereotypes. But empathy has its limits. As audiences are bombarded with stories of suffering, from war zones to refugee camps to climate disasters, many experience what scholars call empathy fatigue. The emotional toll of constantly feeling for others can lead to disengagement rather than action.
Moreover, empathy can sometimes center the feelings of the audience rather than the needs of the people being reported on. It risks reducing complex social issues to individual tragedies, obscuring the systemic forces at play.
Solidarity as a Journalistic Ethic
This is where solidarity offers a compelling alternative. As media scholar Anita Varma argues, solidarity is not just about feeling for others, it is about standing with them. She defines solidarity as “a commitment to people’s basic dignity that translates into action.”
In journalism, this means not accommodating a specific perspective based on its newsworthiness. Instead, solidarity practices require amplifying the voices that are underrepresented in media coverage, approaching source handling ethically, and being aware of the power and consequences of story framing. Solidarity shifts the focus from emotional identification to ethical alignment and political clarity. As Mark Coddington and Seth Lewis wrote in relation to Varma’s research: “While journalism of empathy seeks to establish individuals’ humanity, journalism of solidarity presumes it, and thus shifts attention to how structural factors can better attend to the marginalized and their needs.”
From Newsworthiness to Justice
Traditional news values often prioritize conflict, novelty, and proximity. But solidarity journalism challenges these norms by redefining newsworthiness through the lens of dignity and justice. It asks: Whose voices are missing? Whose perspectives are consistently marginalized? And how can journalism serve not just as a mirror to society, but as a tool for transformation?
This doesn’t mean abandoning objectivity or rigor. Rather, it means recognizing that how we frame voices, who gets to speak, how they are quoted, and what context is provided, is itself a political act.
Toward a Journalism of Commitment
In a time when trust in media is fragile and the stakes of misinformation are high, journalism must evolve. Empathy can open the door to understanding, but solidarity builds the foundation for change. It invites journalists to move beyond storytelling as a spectacle and toward storytelling as a shared struggle.
- You can read part 1 of this series here: “Roofless in Brno: Patriotism and Popular Fervor – What Do Unhoused People Keep?“
