Natural disaster early warning system

The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), a professional association of over 102 radio and television broadcasters in the Asia-Pacific region, is partnering with the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN ISDR) for the enhancement of radio and television broadcast information flows aimed at reducing the impact of natural disasters in Asia-Pacific Countries.

The ABU and UNISDR will implement a series of regional workshops for radio and television broadcasters to help develop faster, more effective early warning systems in the Asia-Pacific region by increasing the rate and accuracy of information flows from meteorological and disaster management organisations to broadcasters; to ensure a rapid flow of disaster and emergency information from broadcasters to the public; to help develop faster, more accurate coverage of disasters when they strike; and to raise public awareness of disaster reduction and emergency preparedness by airing special educational programmes and public service announcements.

"No matter how good the technology or how accurate the forecast and warnings, if the information does not reach the people in danger in a timely and understandable manner, the warning system fails. Media have a huge responsibility together with governments in the warning issuing. They need to work together to ensure that a clear and consistent message is provided to the public" says the UN ISDR Director, Mr Salvano Briceño.

"Broadcasters have a responsibility to educate people and raise their awareness of the dangers of natural disasters. They can do this by airing public service announcements, producing special programmes to mark the anniversaries of previous disasters and creating other content," says Mr David Astley, Secretary-General of the ABU. "The ABU is well positioned to both coordinate the improvement of emergency warning systems through television and radio among broadcasters across the region as well as in assisting in the development of content designed to educate audiences in advance on how to respond in the event of emergencies and natural disasters."

The project is a follow-on activity to an ABU workshop on Natural Disasters and the Broadcaster's Role, hosted by Japan's public broadcaster, Nippon Hoso Kyokai (NHK), in Tokyo in February. Broadcast journalists and engineers attending the workshop called for ways of receiving prompt warnings from governments and international agencies.

"Following the recommendations of the ABU/NHK workshop, the ABU is partnering with UN ISDR who are coordinating the most effective lines of communication with the necessary organisations such as the World Meteorological Organisation, the International Telecommunications Union and the UNESCO International Oceanographic Commission," says David Astley. "Through ABU's coordination of the broadcast community and UN ISDR's coordination of the international organisations, we will achieve the most effective partnership for improving communication systems and achieving the requirements identified by the earlier Tokyo meetings."

The first workshop, titled 'Emergency Information Flows From Meteorological Organisations to Broadcasters' will be more technical in nature and will involve Technical or News Directors from broadcast companies and Operational Directors from meteorological, oceanographic and disaster management organisations to review the rate and accuracy in getting information from meteorological, oceanographic and geological organisations to broadcasters and the general public.

The second workshop, titled 'Public Awareness, Preparedness and Response of Individuals and Communities' will focus on the broadcasters capacity and responsibility to educate audiences and raise awareness of the dangers of and appropriate responses to natural disasters through the use of public service announcements, educational documentaries, current affairs programming and other content. This workshop will involve Programming and Production Directors from broadcast companies from the 12 tsunami-affected countries. The attached workshop agendas will provide additional information on the content and objectives of the events.

"Media can achieve a lot, they can warn people without scaring them, they can educate them and better prepare them to face natural hazards, they are key players in the long chain that ultimately will reduce risk and vulnerability to save people's lives and livelihoods" says UN/ISDR Director, Mr Salvano Briceño.

As part of the initiative, participating broadcasters will be encouraged to create a 6-month anniversary update report on the status of recovery efforts in the countries affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.

"We hope that as a follow on activity to this workshop that our broadcasters will also exercise their ability to hold donors, governments and relief agencies accountable to their pledges for reconstruction by placing a discerning eye on the reconstruction efforts since the December 2004 tsunami disaster," says David Astley.

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