Tips on disaster reporting

BY Dilnaz Boga| IN Media Practice | 04/06/2015
If Indian reporters had followed these tips during the Nepal earthquake, they would not have been reviled.
DILNAZ BOGA offers advice.
Tips on disaster reporting

 After the April 2015 Nepal earthquake killed over 8,800 people and injured more than 23,000, the Indian media swooped on the Himalayan kingdom of Nepal. After glorifying the role of the Indian government in providing relief over the next few days, the insensitive media shoved microphones into the faces of those who had suffered to repeatedly ask them about the relief efforts.

 This browbeating did not go down well with residents who were still coming to terms with the magnitude of devastation. On the first day, Twitter trended with hashtags like “Thank You PM" and "Thank You India”. The story changed two days later. By then, "GoHomeIndianMedia" had taken over.

 To make matters worse, embedded reporters flocked to the Indian army and air force and occupied precious space on the aircraft, with

5-7 in each rescue helicopter. Their adrenalin rush not only disgusted the local population, but also people back home. Clearly, they were not sensitive to the suffering of others and understood nothing of the emotional trauma the locals were undergoing.

 How can journalists cover traumatic events with sensitivity and tact, yet do what they are supposed to - report from the ground?

 In these circumstances, it is important that journalists follow a checklist to avoid over-the-top PR exercises for the state and keep a sensitive focus on the victims.

 Last month, a workshop by the Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma held at Hong Kong University discussed a range of issues that came up in coverage of tragedy, disasters etc. The  Dart Centre for Journalism & Trauma is a global network of journalists, journalism educators and health professionals dedicated to improving media coverage of trauma and conflict. The Centre also addresses the consequences of such coverage for those working in journalism.

The faculty team comprised Bruce Shapiro, Executive Director, Dart Centre USA, Amy McQuire, Australian Ochberg fellow 2015 and Australian indigenous reporter for New Matilda, Professor Julia Hsu, journalism professor, National Cheng Chi University in Taiwan and Cait McMahon, psychologist, and managing director, Dart Asia Pacific.

The senior fellows from previous years were Safi Gul, news editor, Dunya TV, Pakistan and Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson, journalist and Small Island Developing States Coordinator at the International Labour Organization, Samoa.

Tips on covering trauma

First, a checklist :

      Portray victims of violence with accuracy, insight, and sensitivity.

      Be clear and engaging, with a strong theme or focus.

      Inform readers about the ways individuals react to and cope with emotional trauma and          the process of recovery.

      Avoid sensationalism, melodrama, and portrayal of victims as tragic or pathetic.

      Emphasize the victims’ experience rather than the perpetrators’.

 Now, check your report. Did you adhere to this simple checklist?

If the answer to any of these questions is “no,” the journalist should consider whether the story can be enhanced or improved by changing it so that the answer is “yes.”

Always treat victims with dignity and respect – the way you want to be treated in a similar situation. Journalists will always seek to approach survivors, but they should do it with sensitivity, including knowing when and how to back off.

Tips for interviewing victims

The Dart Centre’s tips include:

1. Clearly identify yourself and the publication or TV channel you are from. Then inform the family that you are doing a story on the victim's life. Don't be surprised if you receive a harsh reaction at first, especially from parents of child victims. However, do not respond by reacting harshly.

2. You can say you're sorry for the person's loss, but never say "I understand" or "I know how you feel." Don't be surprised, too, especially when covering acts of political violence, if a subject responds to your apology by saying, "Sorry isn't good enough." Remain respectful.

3. Don't overwhelm with the hardest questions first. Begin with questions such as, "Can you tell me about XYZ's life?" Or, "What did XYZ like to do? What were his favourite hobbies?" Then listen! The worst mistake a reporter can do is to talk too much.

4. Be especially careful when interviewing survivors of anyone who is missing, and try to clarify that you seek to profile their lives before they disappeared and not to write their obituaries. If you're unable to contact the victim or other survivor, try calling a relative or the funeral home to request an interview or obtain comments. If you receive a harsh reaction, leave a phone number or your card and explain that the survivor can call if she or he wants to talk later. This often leads to the best stories.

Tips for writing about victims

1. Focus on the person's life. Find out what made the person special: personality, beliefs, environment (surroundings, hobbies, family and friends), and likes and dislikes. Treat the person's life as carefully as a photographer does in framing a portrait.

2. Always be accurate. Check back with the victim or victim's representative to verify spellings of names, facts and even quotes. The reason: When you first talk to a victim, he or she may be confused or distracted. Double-checking can ensure accuracy. It also may provide you with additional information and quotes that you can use.

3. Use pertinent details that help describe victims as they lived or provide images of their lives. Example: "Johnny loved to play the guitar in the evening to entertain his family, but it also helped him escape the stress of his job as a sheriff's deputy."

4. Avoid unnecessary gory details about the victims' deaths. After the Oklahoma City bombing, certain reporters chose not to reveal that body parts were dangling from the trees near the federal building. Ask yourself whether the images are pertinent or will do unnecessary harm to certain members of your readership or broadcast audience.

Also, avoid words and terms such as "closure," "will rest in peace" or "a shocked community mourns the death." Use simple and clear words as good writers do for any story.

5. Use quotes and anecdotes from the victim's relatives and friends to describe the person's life, especially those that tell how the person had overcome obstacles. Seek current photos of the victim (but always return them as soon as possible). This way, you know what the person looked like in life.

(Dilnaz Boga is an independent journalist based in Mumbai. She is a Dart Asia Pacific Fellow 2015).

 

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