Media Development Assistance in Times of Natural Disasters: Opportunities and Challenges PRESENTED BY: ARYA GUNAWAN USIS Advisor for Communication and

Media Development Assistance in Times of Natural Disasters: Opportunities and Challenges

PRESENTED BY:ARYA GUNAWAN USIS

Advisor for Communication and Information - UTCO

8th Asia Media Summit Hanoi, 25-25 May 2011

UNESCO Tehran Cluster Office (UTCO) - Communication and Information Unit




26 December 2004, at around 09:30 AM, as about 20 people were playing on the beach or bathing, the sea started to retreat by about 100 meters within the space of about 5 minutes. A few people who were bathing, seeing the water retreating around them were left standing, puzzled.


15 May 2011:8.7 Magnitude Quake Will Hit JakartaJakarta - Jakarta City predicted would hit up to 8.7 magnitude quake centered in the Sunda Strait. In addition to Jakarta, above 8 magnitude quake was also predicted to occur in Bandung and Sumatra. "What we've examined by 3 places. Sumatran Fault, both Lembang, third Sunda Strait. That's just a big quake, above 8 SR. The others have not been studied, the numbers are thousands," said President’s Special Staff for Social Affairs and Disaster, Andi Arief indiscussion at Warung Daun, Jalan Cikini Raya, Central Jakarta, Sunday (05/15/2011).

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 05/18/2011 7:00 AM | City The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) shrugs off speculation that a massive earthquake measuring up to magnitude 8.7 would rock Jakarta as earlier predicted by the President’s special staff for social aid Andi Arief.

Indonesia Headline, 19 May 2011Jakarta - All the Special Staff of the President criticized the statement for Natural Disaster Field Andi Arief who predicted Jakarta will be hit by an earthquake measuring 8.7 magnitude. As a confidant of President Andi should not talk nonsense. "Special Staff of this president should not talk nonsense," said Vice Chairman of DPRD DKI, Triwisaksana, told reporters at a news conference on Thursday (19/05/2011). He added, taking care jobs earthquake has become BMKG affairs, and parties who are not competent not just make statements.



What made the difference between the response of the Japanese society and the Indonesian cases described above?

Answer:

people’s preparedness in dealing with disasters.


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THE ROLE OF NHK IN JAPAN* NHK has advanced technology devices, combining the use of seismometers, connected to about 500 units of cameras and recording devices.

* They are installed at many strategic points (such as airports, railway stations, and areas known vulnerable to tsunamis), enabling the NHK to report on conditions in those locations in real time when the disaster occurs.

* That is why NHK crews managed to reach the scene of the recent earthquake to broadcast direct reports just two minutes after the earthquake.


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THE IMPORTANCE OF MASS MEDIAIN NATURAL DISASTERS

They are very important, specially radio and television.

See the results of studies conducted by many experts since six decades ago (see Harry E. Moore, 1958; Gary Kreps, 1980; Enrico Quarantelli,1982).

Even if the early warning came from sources such as sirens, residents seemed not to believe in that early warning, and they would turn to radio and television to get the confirmation and further information.


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PHASES OF NATURAL DISASTERS AND THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA

1. Preparedness: media provides educative information

2. Response: media report on the aftermath, including assist in humanitarian aids

3. Recovery: media rebuilds public confidence and act as watchdog of reconstruction process


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PREPAREDNESS IS CRUCIAL, BUT NOT EASY TO DO

Research in Puerto Rico in late 1990s

MEDIA DID NOT WANT TO SUPPORT AND COORPORATE WITH THE GOVERNMENT IN RAISINGPUBLIC’S AWARENESS


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FIRST PHASE OF DISASTER:

Media should have training on disaster reporting

Should consider/include the trauma aspect of reporting on disasters


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SECOND PHASE OF DISASTER:

Media often times is ignored, while there is actually clear and immediate need

Emergency radio station, for example, should be established in this phase


RESTORATION OFNIKOYA RADIO STATIONIN BANDA ACEH


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SECOND PHASE OF DISASTER:

Also presents good opportunity to carry out experiments on new innovation by using new media, as happened in Haiti during the aftermath of the earthquake of January 2010. Or in Pakistan following the floods 2010, for which UNESCO is producing radio drama series in collaboration with Commonwealth Broadcasting Association (CBA) and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC).


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THIRD PHASE OF DISASTER:

Media should act as promoter of rebuilding confidence and as watchdog


Kofi Annan, 1999:

“More effective prevention strategies would save not only tens of billions of dollars, but save tens of thousands of lives. But he also stressed that building a culture of prevention is not easy because the cost of prevention has to be paid in the present, while its benefits lie in the distant future. Moreover, the benefits are not tangible; they are the disasters that did not happen.”


References:

1. Annan, Kofi. Facing the Humanitarian Challenge: Towards a Culture of Prevention. Report on the Work of the Organization, General Assembly Official Records Fifty-fourth Session Supplement No. 1 (A/54/1). New York: 1999. <http://www.un.org/Docs/SG/Report99/intro99.htm> 2. Cate, Fred H. The Media and Disaster Reduction. Report on Roundtable on the Media, Scientific Information and Disasters at the United Nations World Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction. Yokohama, 1994. <http://www.annenberg.northwestern.edu/pubs/disas/disas3.htm> 3. Chan, Ying. “Japan disaster is a test of media capacity”. China Media Project. March 25, 2011. http://cmp.hku.hk/2011/03/25/11130/

4. Drabek, Thomas E. Human System Responses to Disaster: An Inventory of Sociological Findings. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1986: 91, 113.

http://cmp.hku.hk/2011/03/25/11130/


References: 5. Interlandi, Jennen. “For Haiti, No Relief in Sight.” Newsweek. November 15, 2010: 43-47. 6. Nelson, Anne, Ivan Sigal and Dean Zambrano. Media, Information Systems and Communities: Lessons from Haiti. Knight Foundation, 2011. <http://www.knightblog.org/new-media-and-humanitarian-relief-lessons-from-haiti> 7. Kreimer, Alcira. “The role of the mass media in disaster reporting: a search for relevant issues”. Disasters and the Mass Media. Washington, DC, 1980.

8. Kreps, Gary A. “Research Needs and Policy Issues on Mass Media Disaster Reporting”. Disasters and the Mass Media. Washington, D.C.: National Academy of Sciences, 1980.


References:

9. Larson, James F. “A Review of the State of the Art in Mass Media Disaster Reporting”. Disasters and the Mass Media. Washington, D.C.: National Academy of Sciences, 1980.

10. Maese, Rick. “Hundreds wash ashore as disaster deepens.” The Washington Post. March 15, 2011, at 3:54 AM. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/todays_paper/A%20Section/2011-03-15/A/10/14.0.1699059058_epaper.html> 11. Moore, Harry E. Tornadoes over Texas: A Study of Waco and San Angelo in Disaster. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1958. 12. Perez-Lugo, Marla. The Mass Media, Political Fragmentation and Environmental Injustice in Puerto Rico: A Case Study of the Floods in Barrio Tortugo. Natural Hazard Center, University of Colorado, Quick Response Report, 1999. < http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/research/qr/qr113.html>

http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/research/qr/qr113.html


References:

13. Quarantelli, Enrico. People´s reactions to emergency warnings. University of Delaware, Disaster Research Center, Preliminary Paper 75, 1982. <http://www.udel.edu/...%20Quarantelli%20Resource%20Collection/.../ DRC%20Preliminary%20Papers%201980%20to%201989.pdf> 14. “Starvation, looting reported in Aceh.” ABC News Online. December 28, 2004. <http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200412/s1273270.htm>


Thank you for your attention

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Media Development Assistance in Times of Natural Disasters: Opportunities and Challenges PRESENTED BY: ARYA GUNAWAN USIS Advisor for Communication and