Empathy may be considered toxic in some political circles, but when it comes to delivering the news it’s the coin of the realm — especially when viewers are in a state of anxiety and crisis.
In research, when we ask people to describe an anchor they would trust and love watching, they almost invariably say “personality” is the most important attribute. During the pandemic, however, when the country was in a state of uncertainty and communal anxiety, personality dropped in importance.
The attribute that shot to the top? Community.
And note how viewers talked about it.
The conversation wasn’t nearly so much about knowing the community as it was about caring about it. More than anything else, viewers wanted talent who had real passion for the communities they served and the people who lived there. More than local knowledge, they wanted local empathy.
That’s why I think One Great Thing about this piece from CNN’s Isabel Rosales is the empathy resonant in her conversation with the homeowner. She doesn’t stop at wanting to know and describe what he’s doing. She takes the time to ask how he’s doing — to explore how he’s feeling and not just what he’s doing — and that’s where his answer becomes memorable. Her caring creates space for his honest and authentically emotional response to her.
During Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, this Clarissa Ward live shot went viral, primarily because she took the time to help an evacuee with her bag. Viewers were moved by her empathy for the exhausted woman’s plight and her willingness to interrupt her narrative and lend a hand.
One finding that seems underreported and undervalued from the 2024 Pew study of news consumers was how much they value kindness in journalists. Well over half of the 9000+ people surveyed — 66% — said it was very important.
Maybe it’s because when viewers see you showing care and concern for people who are suffering and clearly worthy of it, it’s easier for them to believe in your ability to show care and concern for them and for the community you share with them.
Maybe it’s that simple. And that important.
One Great Thing is a regular feature of our blog, intended to recognize and celebrate work that inspires us as we travel the country coaching on-air talent at every level. We believe the work they do has never mattered more.
