Media ToolKit: Introduction & Purpose
The role of the media in Disaster Risk Management (DRM) was acknowledged in the World Conference on Disaster Reduction held in Kobe, Japan in 2005 and also in the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA), which emphasizes information and education as ways to build disaster resilient communities across the Globe. In addition to reporting on disasters and providing key information on what has happened and what is being done to address the crisis, the media has taken on an increasingly important role in disseminating early warning messages and promoting preparedness measures at local and national levels, as well as advocating for stronger policy frameworks on disaster management. Bangladesh is a country that is intrinsically associated with natural disaster due to its geographical vulnerability. As a result of this geography, Bangladesh frequently suffers from devastating floods, cyclones and storm surges, tornadoes, riverbank erosion, and drought as well as constituting a very high-risk location for devastating seismic activity. In this context, the Bangladeshi media has a mandate to not only report on disasters and climate change but also to contribute to building safer communities through creating general awareness on disaster preparedness, highlighting and promoting good practices on disaster risk management, and continuously advocating for the strengthening of policies on Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and their effective implementation. Media coverage on Disaster and Disaster Risk Management in Bangladesh has already proved to have "a great significance in the areas of policy support and community awareness"; yet more efforts need to be made in order to ensure greater responsiveness of policy-makers and turn awareness into community and government action.
As part of raising awareness and knowledge levels on Disaster Risk Management in the country, and towards achieving the Hyogo Framework for Action objective of making DRR a national priority, the DPB have built a strong relationship with the Bangladeshi media, both printed and electronic. The strong linkages between the DPB and the media also highlighted informational gaps on both sides and corresponding capacity-building needs. On the one hand, it was felt that NGOs would benefit from a greater understanding of the type of information that the media requires in order to adequately cover disaster situations. On the other hand, the media professionals were interested in strengthening their knowledge on disaster risk management to provide a more holistic coverage of the disaster issue not only during but also before and after a disaster. The development of this Media Toolkit fills the purpose of addressing the latter.
The aim of the Media toolkit is to provide media professionals in Bangladesh with essential information on Disaster Risk Management with an emphasis on the Bangladeshi context. The objectives are two-fold: not only should the Media Toolkit increase the awareness of the media on the crucial role that it ought to play in Disaster Risk Management but the kit should also provide media professionals with the tools and instruments to perform this role effectively.
The Media Toolkit has been developed by a panel of DRM experts in consultation with media professionals and will be used as reference material for capacity building of Bangladesh media personnel at both national and sub-national levels. The toolkit builds on resources already available and in particular regional resources with a stronger resonance in the Bangladeshi context. The Media Toolkit is an evolving document and will be updated in future DIPECHO funding cycles to ensure that the information contained remains accurate and valid.
| Media Toolkit | Document Type & Size | |
 | Media Toolkit (Bangla Version) The aim of the Media toolkit is to provide media professionals in Bangladesh with essential information on Disaster Risk Management with an emphasis on the Bangladeshi context. The objectives are two-fold: not only should the Media Toolkit increase the awareness of the media on the crucial role that it ought to play in Disaster Risk Management but the kit should also provide media professionals with the tools and instruments to perform this role effectively. | |
 | Media Toolkit (English Version) The aim of the Media toolkit is to provide media professionals in Bangladesh with essential information on Disaster Risk Management with an emphasis on the Bangladeshi context. The objectives are two-fold: not only should the Media Toolkit increase the awareness of the media on the crucial role that it ought to play in Disaster Risk Management but the kit should also provide media professionals with the tools and instruments to perform this role effectively. | Type: PDF Size: 2.52 MB [ Download ] |
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