Journalists to get temporary trauma centre in New York

A trauma centre for journalists is being set up in New York for reporters who covered the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The University of Washington is behind the move.

The centre will be open for about six months and will be funded by a grant from the Dart Foundation of Mason, Michigan.

Dart Centre Ground Zero will aim to provide support for media workers at the World Trade Centre working when the terror jets struck.

It will also conduct research on how journalists were affected by demands of the coverage.

"They just stay on the story and never back away and talk about it. If you are an observer, it doesn't matter how hard you try to be objective," said Roger Simpson, from Washington university's journalism centre.

"You talk to survivors, police and rescuers. This begins to take a toll on your own emotional well-being. It tires you out. You are sharing everybody else's pain without a chance to address your own."