Nearly half of Romanian journalists report experiencing high or very high levels of burnout, while more than half are regularly exposed to tragedies, violence, and human suffering, according to a new study by the Friends For Friends Foundation (FFFF). The research also found that 92% of respondents say mental health is rarely or never discussed within the profession.

The study, Romanian Journalists and Mental Health, was conducted as part of the foundation's Superscrieri program and is based on responses from 166 journalists working in Romania's national, local, mainstream, and independent media. It was carried out between March and April 2025.

According to the findings, 45% of respondents reported high or very high levels of burnout, while another 40% experienced moderate burnout. Younger journalists were more affected than those aged over 45, with researchers linking the gap to greater financial instability and career uncertainty among early-career reporters. 

The most common stressors are related to working conditions, such as pressure from deadlines (63%), a heavy and unpredictable workload (62%), and income (62%). Journalists in the independent press experience 12% more stress related to their journalistic work.

The survey found that 54% of respondents work more than 45 hours per week, compared with the national average reported by Eurostat. Six in 10 journalists said they return home every day, or several times a week, too exhausted to complete household chores, with women reporting this more frequently than men.

Meanwhile, more than half (55.2%) said they are frequently or very frequently exposed to tragedies, accidents, violence, injustice, or human suffering, increasing the risk of developing secondary, or vicarious, trauma.

The study also highlighted widespread workplace abuse. Seven in 10 respondents said they had experienced abuse at work, including excessive demands from superiors (56%), unpaid overtime (55%), and abuse of power (47%). Verbal abuse, ridicule, manipulation, and humiliation were among the most commonly reported forms of emotional abuse.

Most journalists said they coped by talking to friends or family or by resigning from their jobs. Only 11% sought psychological counseling, while fewer than 2% reported abuse to the authorities.

Despite these challenges, 83% said they are proud to be journalists, 81% cited social impact as the main reason they remain in the profession, and 79% said they derive satisfaction from doing work they consider important. However, only 13% believe the public trusts journalists.

“A large part of how democracy works in Romania depends on the hard work of journalists. They must ensure that institutions function properly and that voters are well-informed. Right now, we rely on their willingness to do this work well, independently, and quickly — for little pay and at real personal cost,” said Dani Sandu, a researcher in political sociology at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland.

“The quality of the information we consume as citizens comes at a human cost that we usually don’t see, and that is the mental health of these people and their families. What struck me was not a single dramatic figure, but a tension: journalists say they are more motivated and energetic than the general population, yet at the same time, they report high levels of burnout and cynicism toward their own work. Their enthusiasm and sense of having an important mission act almost like an anesthetic here, it keeps them motivated in their profession and, at the same time, causes them to downplay or ignore their own burnout.”

The study also found that institutional support remains limited. Only 12.6% of respondents said their employer had organized training or information sessions on the psychological impact of reporting on traumatic events, while 57.5% said they had sought professional psychological support at some point.

Looking ahead, more than 90% of respondents expect pressure on journalists to remain high and believe the risk of burnout will continue to increase, while more than 88% identified artificial intelligence and social media as additional risk factors affecting the profession.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Alexey Novikov/Dreamstime.com)