Global Issues

When Information Saves Lives

Engaging Local Media in Humanitarian Crises

WHAT COMES NEXT

Wayne Sharpe/Internews

TEXT MESSAGING EMERGENCY NEWS SERVICE: In the aftermath of a devastating May 2006 earthquake on the Indonesian island of Java, which killed over 5,000 and left 1.6 million homeless, Internews worked with more than 180 Indonesian journalists to establish a quick, low-cost text messaging service that enabled local radio journalists to use their mobile phones to report on humanitarian relief. Reports on emergency services such as vaccinations, or health warnings such as a tetanus outbreak, also enabled Indonesian journalists to play a rapid-response role by helping to get vital information to the quake-affected populations.

Some humanitarian organizations and funders are beginning to understand the role of local media in humanitarian response. The 2005 World Disasters Report by the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies focuses on the vital role of information in disaster response. A 2008 report by the BBC World Service Trust also addresses this issue. Internews and the Fritz Institute are partnering on an in-depth research project to increase the use and effectiveness of local media in humanitarian response. Internews also has a web section on reporting on humanitarian crises: www.internews.org/humanitarianmedia.

Yet much more remains to be done. Humanitarians and the media development community must raise awareness among stakeholders, conduct solid research that provides the data necessary to make the case, and foster an ongoing dialogue that will continually examine and improve the way people work in the field. This process will result in a community that includes funders, implementers, and government officials who are willing to ensure that this issue is nurtured and developed.

The ultimate goal of this work is to save lives and reduce suffering by improving the flow of information during humanitarian crises and disasters.

Humanitarian Media | NEXT: Internews-Fritz Institute Partnership