National Public Radio is now offering its political reporters a 90-minute training course for dealing with hostile environments, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.
The training comes in the midst of an election season in which Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump’s top aide allegedly grabbed a reporter’s arm and a Secret Service agent is under investigation for slamming a photographer to the ground at a Trump rally. Trump’s campaign events also often break out in violence between supporters and protesters.
Michael Oreskes, NPR’s senior vice president of news, has described the sessions as training for “dangerous or possibly hostile environments.”
Isabel Lara, an NPR spokeswoman, told the Post that the sessions were intended to address “the stress of covering a very demanding story for a long period of time. We make the training widely available to newsroom staff whether they work internationally or domestically.”
Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields filed a criminal complaint against Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski earlier this month after she said he forcibly grabbed her arm at a press conference. Both Lewandowski and Trump denied any wrongdoing.
Trump: I am making Americans active/alert and helping the economy as well.
Do NOT fuck with Mara Liasson, scumbag Trumpthugs!
Next week’s training: BBC advisors introduce NPR reporters to the concept of the “follow up question.”
What’s next, bullet-proof tote bags, and weaponized coffee mugs?
There has been more than one occasion when I’ve been genuinely frightened for NBC News’ Katie Tur. It’s not just that Trump whips up his violent audience into a frenzy, he also directs their anger to specific reporters who are in the venue covering his rally. It’s just a matter of time before one of those neanderthals hauls off and beats up a reporter or worse.