Educators as news mediators: Educational initiatives for war-related content in Israel

The surprise Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, resulted in widespread dissemination of violent content, creating urgent challenges for parents and educators in managing children’s exposure to traumatic news. Despite attempts to shield children, many Israeli school-age children were exposed to such content. This study explores one institutionalized and two organic news-mediation initiatives developed by educators in response to the crisis. Using thematic analysis, we analyze strategies employed by educators to balance shielding children from trauma while providing necessary information. Key findings reveal that the element of surprise and the ‘domestication’ of media content, along with reflection and audience characterization, are essential components in children’s news production. This study highlights the immediate and active role educators played in news mediation and offers practical insights into managing children’s exposure to news in unexpected and rapidly evolving situations.