It was a powerful example of community and nimble democracy — strongest I’ve seen in years.

What were some of the reporting challenges you encountered while on the ground in Christchurch?

One of the big challenges in an environment like this — a tragedy of global significance — is how to deal with other media and the demands on the people who are affected by the tragedy.

There are probably hundreds of reporters here all looking to get the story out to their part of the world, and while many of them are thoughtful, there are always a few — I won’t name names, but some Australians don’t have a great reputation in New Zealand — who err on the side of overdoing it, both with victims and their families, and with others (like gun shop owners) who are more tangential to the story.

It’s partly the demands of the news cycle and particular brands (television reporters often skip straight to “how did you feel when …”) and I’m sensitive to the fact that our industry is in flux and people are just trying to do their jobs.

But when a handful of journalists lack heart and humanity, it ends up hurting all of us who do what we do. It leads families to see us as the enemy and leads officials to cut off access, and then that means that people who actually want their stories told can end up silenced.

I don’t think that has happened too much here in Christchurch, but over time, it’s clear that some families have become more frustrated with some journalists’ behavior and are struggling with whom among us to trust. It means it takes more time and effort to build rapport and tell stories that have nuance and complexity.