Training on Reporting Disaster and Reconstruction
07-10 January 2016, Ramechhap
National Media Development Center (NMDC) organized its DAP of the Australian Embassy supported second four days journalism training on Reporting Disaster & Reconstruction from 07- 10 January 2016, at Manthali, Ramechhap. This was NMDC’s 91st journalism training organized for the second time in Ramechhap.
In the training, there were 19 energetic and young working journalists including 10 female participants from different media outlets. Most of the participants were from FM radio stations although there are two daily newspapers and 7 weeklies. They themselves are also involved in both print and radio media. Reporters who actively participated in the training had gained both theoretical as well as practical reporting skill on the theme of “Disaster and Reconstruction”. The participant reporters were from Ramechhap and Solukhumbu districts. Participants invited from Sindhuli and Okhaldhunga districts were unable to participate (FNJ of respective districts had informed). Among the participants, they were 1 from print, 14 from FM radio, and 4 were FNJ Ramechhap members.
As per the policy of NMDC, two special inaugural and concluding sessions were organized. HE Glenn White, the Australian Ambassador to Nepal and Shesh Narayan Poudel, Chief District Officer of Ramechhap district had inaugurated the four days training, by lightening two candles. Similarly, Dinesh Raj Pant, LDO, Ramechhap had distributed participation certificates to the journalists at the end of the session.
Australian Ambassador to Nepal, HE Glenn White inaugurating the four days training said, “The role and responsibility of a journalists and diplomat are similar because both of them collect information from different sources and inform respectively. Only the thing is that a diplomat collects information and provides report to the respective government. And, the government provides the information to its people through media. Both information collected by the journalists and diplomat should be true, they should be based on facts, and should be verified by sources.”
Recalling the Nepal earthquake, he said that he had informed to his government in Australia collecting information from Nepal. And, on the basis of the information, the Australian government had informed to the citizen of Australia and had provided support to the people of Nepal. He further said, the support of the Australian government was based on the information provided from the Embassy.
Inspiring the young journalists he said, ‘Journalist’s duty is to give correct and true information to the people so that the people can decide’.
His Excellency further said, ‘ Journalists should not always be negative, they should give priority for their responsibility’.
Addressing the session CDO Poudel said, ‘ The task of reconstruction is a massive work. In this phase from ordinary people to government are massively involved. Journalists should try to be professional in reporting. Journalists should give information of both the government and the people’.
In the four days sessions, reporters had gained theoretical knowledge about the emergency journalism: its highlights; implications, disaster reporting: its objectives, audience, style, linkage with journalistic norms of presenting stories for mass media, online, social media, verification of sources, facts,
dealing with authorities during disaster and handling social media information. Other topics included were: cases of disaster reporting, policies of the government, what the journalists should do and what not during disaster reporting? What are the challenges to the journalists while reporting on disaster? Focuses was given on enhancing reporters’ listening, writing, presenting skills.
They were involved in presenting, writing and listening exercises. Trainers had given cases of the disaster on death, damaged historical sites during the earthquake. The participants had written the news on the basic of given information. Later, trainer had provided feedback on their work.
They also learned their role, role of news-desk, disaster preparedness at district level, tools for disaster: breaking news, follow-up news, news digest; public opinion; running story etc. Participants were encouraged to prepare disaster map of the district and write stories continuously to inform the public as well as concerned authorities. The effort of media builds awareness about possible disaster to the general people and the authorities and helps save them.
After the training, around 70 percent participants had developed ‘Individual Work-plan’ for post training reporting. They have identified 28 disaster and reconstruction related issues for the reporting. NMDC has promised to make necessary follow-up, guidance if necessary and feedback on training outcome after reviewing their work.
Trainers Prof. R.K. Regmee, Shreeram Singh Basnet, had facilitated the training. NMDC as per its planning had also hired local resource persons from office of DDC, FNJ and Nepal Red Cross Society district branch.
FNJ President of Ramechhap branch Ramesh Dhungel had Chaired both sessions. Senior journalists, former Presidents of FNJ, reporters of national media working in Ramechhap were present at both sessions. Similarly, Krishna Bahadur Karki, Program and Research Officer of the Australian Embassy was present at the inaugural session.
On behalf of NMDC, FNJ and the Australian Embassy, Mr. Bishnu P Sharma (Executive Director, NMDC) welcoming the participants and guests had highlighted the theme, contents and methodology of the four days training. He also had thanked to the Embassy and FNJ for their effortful and valuable contribution to make the program happen.
In total, 2218 (963 female) participants have participated in the training of NMDC including NMDC’s this 91st training organized in Ramechhap.
Major Achievements of the training: 
The major achievements of the training are as follows:
- Participants identified 28 disaster and reconstruction related issues and placed them under their Individual Work Plan (issues are given in the detail report).
- 19 young journalists including 10 women became able to search and identify disaster and reconstruction related issues and write them continuously following learned guidelines and tools, and
- Confidence on writing news on disaster and reconstruction related issues developed.
- The End●
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