Ashly Dhani
Online Reporter
The media should use innovative reporting tools and find ways of coping with the challenges of reporting on disaster stories such as Covid-19, a senior media practitioner said.
Mr Johnson Siamachira, a communications specialist, said the media has an important role to play during natural disasters such as Covid-19 and Cyclone Idai.
“The media has an important role to play during such natural disasters. As such, media practitioners must use innovative reporting tools and must also cope with the challenges of reporting on disaster stories,” Mr Siamachira said.
Mr Siamachira, who was the facilitator of the Media Institute of Southern Africa Zimbabwe (MISA) Editors’ Symposium which was held in Bulawayo last week, said media practitioners are often traumatised after covering disaster stories.
“In most instances, the effects that the covering of natural disasters have on journalists have been overlooked. Like everyone else, journalists can also be traumatised after covering natural disasters. There is need for journalists to be counselled after covering the harrowing scenes that are associated with natural disasters,” Mr Siamachira said.
The symposium ran under the theme: Reporting on Renewable Energy, Climate Change and Natural Disasters.
Editors from the various media organisations and journalists that cover renewable energy issues attended the symposium.
Online Reporter