The Media Resilience Network

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 20th, 2026

New National Survey Finds Widespread Burnout and Economic Insecurity Driving Mental Health Crisis in U.S. Journalism

More than 80% of journalists report burnout or chronic stress; cost, workload, and lack of culturally competent care cited as primary barriers to support

United States — A new national survey to be released on January 22nd by the Media Resilience Network (MDRnet) finds that journalists across the United States are experiencing widespread burnout, chronic stress, and emotional strain rooted not in individual weakness, but in systemic conditions including economic insecurity, newsroom culture, and limited access to appropriate mental health care.

The report, “From Crisis to Care: A Research Paper and Action Framework based on Stay Tuned: A U.S. Journalism Mental Health Survey”, draws on in-depth responses from 80 journalists in 26 states, the majority of whom are mid-career and veteran journalists. The findings point to a profession under sustained psychological pressure at a moment of declining public trust, shrinking newsrooms, and escalating hostility toward the press.

According to the survey, more than 80 percent of respondents reported experiencing burnout or chronic stress in the past year. Nearly half (45%) said they feel stressed or depleted, while one in five (20%) described their emotional well-being as poor and said they need support now. Only 2.5 percent of respondents rated their mental health as excellent.

“These findings confirm what journalists have been telling us quietly—and sometimes at great personal risk—for years,” says Luisa Ortiz Pérez, MDRnet’s Lead in the report. “The mental health crisis in journalism is systemic. It is driven by economic precarity, unsafe working conditions, identity-based stress, and a professional culture that normalizes chronic strain.”

About the Media Resilience Network (MDRnet)
The Media Resilience Network is an initiative of Vita-Activa.org, funded by Press Forward, dedicated to strengthening the emotional and organizational resilience of journalists and newsroom leaders across the United States. MDRnet focuses on culturally competent, trauma-informed support for journalists, freelancers, and media organizations.

Download report here

Media Contact:
Luisa Ortiz Pérez, MDRnet.org Lead and CoFounder, lu@vita-activa.org

Dagmar Thiel, MDRnet.org Managing Director for Capacity Building, dagmar@vita-activa.org