Disasters and their impacts are increasing at an alarming rate. The media has the tremendous strength to highlight disaster-related issues, and can even aid the process of disaster management successfully. A consequential responsibility rests on the shoulders of the management, which is one of the pivotal communication links between the management and the general public. It is extremely essential to ensure consistent interpretation and reporting of basic disaster information by media practitioners.
Recently, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Pakistan organized a consultative workshop on media and disasters, involving active environmental journalists in Pakistan. The workshop aimed to have their views on disaster reporting and how to further improve it, loopholes and the way forward.
The workshop recommended that scientific and disaster mitigation organizations should seek to develop working relationships with the media, based on mutual trust and the recognition of different characteristics, goals and needs. Regular, effective communication between these groups, before, during and after disasters can greatly enhance those relationships.
The workshop further highlighted that journalists need to be educated about complex scientific information, so that they are able to explain it to a broader audience. Another important issue highlighted was that environmental journalist need to be in touch with various disaster management experts and relevant sources for expert views so that such information can be disseminated to the public.
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