Covering Disaster

Reporting Disaster on Deadline delves into the coverage of crises, considering practical issues and providing guidance in preparing for and responding to calamities. It offers a concise overview of disaster coverage for journalism academics and practitioners, serving not as a "how to" handbook but as a "how to prepare" reference to be utilized before a crisis occurs. --

ABC News chief meteorologist Ginger Zee pulls back the curtain on her life in Natural Disaster. Ginger grew up in small-town Michigan where she developed an obsession with weather as a young girl. Ginger opens up about her lifelong battle with crippling depression, her romances that range from misguided to dangerous, and her tumultuous professional path. This cyclone of stories may sound familiar to some—it's just that Ginger's personal tempests happened while she was covering some of the most devastating storms in recent history, including a ferocious tornado that killed a legend in the meteorology field. This book is for all the mistake makers who have learned to forgive others and themselves—even in the aftermath of man-made, or in this case Zee-made, disasters. It's a story that every young woman should read, a story about finding love and finding it in yourself. Beloved by Good Morning America's audience, Ginger is a daily presence for millions. Zee's gained fame for her social media presence which is as unfiltered as Natural Disaster—from baby barf to doggy doo-doo. She's shattered the glass ceiling for women in meteorology, but admits here first, she's the one natural disaster she couldn't have forecast.

This book presents a decade of advances in the psychological, biological and social responses to disasters, helping medics and leaders prepare and react.

In 2005, journalists faced enormous challenges while covering hurricanes Katrina and Rita along America's Gulf Coast. They struggled to find ways to communicate, move from one place to another, and find reputable information. They witnessed complete chaos, observed human suffering, and were outraged with delayed or ineffective rescue mechanisms. Not only did journalists face these normal problems of crises, since many themselves were among the victims, they were forced to do their jobs under circumstances that seemed impossible. The contributors to Covering Disaster study personal and professional coping mechanisms and lessons that may be learned from media disaster coverage. During Katrina and Rita, journalists responded largely by redefining traditional ideals of fairness, balance, and objectivity and by adopting an emotionally driven and somewhat more subjective reporting style. In this way, they rediscovered and emphasized journalistic purposes and techniques that have long been the hallmarks of greatness. Their work during those months of destruction and pain was applauded by their readers and viewers because it was useful, critical of officials who were not doing their jobs, sought support for those who were suffering, and took a position of public leadership. Now that the winds have died down, flood waters have receded, and rebuilding has begun, the brand of publicoriented journalism found in the midst of the storms must not be forgotten.

News Coverage of Global Disasters: Journalism’s Power to Aid Healing and Recovery addresses an under-explored aspect of news, arguing that journalism helps people heal and recover in the aftermath of significant traumas. This comparative analysis draws from local and international news in eight countries around the world that suffered a natural disaster in 2018. The book evaluates ten news themes that aid healing, coping, hope and recovery during and after a natural disaster. Analysis shows that these ten characteristics are a common element within news, transcending national borders. The book brings together contemporary theories of news choice and practice with examination of the journalistic culture within each country. Analysis also includes contextual and structural factors within each country and national disaster. Evaluation shows some characteristics of a common journalistic culture and other patterns primarily due to unique elements of a national culture. The book mixes quantitative and qualitative data to provide a rich analysis. It also fills a gap in international comparative studies of news content.

This book illuminates the concept of disaster communities through a series of international case studies. It offers an eclectic overview of how different forms of media and journalism contribute to our understanding of the lived experiences of communities at risk from, affected by, and recovering from disaster. This collection considers the different forms of media and journalism produced by and for communities and how they may recognise and speak to the different notions of community that emerge in disaster contexts – including vulnerabilities and consequences that arise from environmental destruction and geophysical hazards, the insecurity created by armed conflict and limitations on journalistic freedoms, and result from human (in)action and humanitarian crises.

This book provides an introduction to covering crises, considering practice issues and providing guidance in preparing for and responding to calamities. It offers a concise overview for journalism academics and practitioners of covering disasters – not a "how to" handbook but a "how to prepare" reference to be used before a crisis occurs. This essential resource is among the first to focus specifically and comprehensively on journalistic coverage of disasters. It demonstrates the application of scholarship and theory to professional practice, and includes a crash book template with logistical and information-collection requirements. As a text for advanced reporting, broadcast journalism, and journalism ethics, or a reference for professionals, Reporting Disaster on Deadline provides key information for keeping on deadline in responding to crises.

Communications are key to the success of disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Accurate information disseminated to the general public, to elected officials and community leaders, as well as to the media, reduces risk, saves lives and property, and speeds recovery. Disaster Communications in a Changing Media World, Second Edition, provides valuable information for navigating these priorities in the age of evolving media. The emergence of new media like the Internet, email, blogs, text messaging, cell phone photos, and the increasing influence of first informers are redefining the roles of government and media. The tools and rules of communications are evolving, and disaster communications must also evolve to accommodate these changes and exploit the opportunities they provide. Disaster Communications in a Changing Media World, Second Edition, illuminates the path to effective disaster communication, including the need for transparency, increased accessibility, trustworthiness and reliability, and partnerships with the media. Includes case studies from recent disasters including Hurricane Sandy, the 2011 tsunami in Japan, and the Boston Marathon bombings Demonstrates how to use blogs, text messages, and cell phone cameras, as well as government channels and traditional media, to communicate during a crisis Examines current social media programs conducted by FEMA, the American Red Cross, state and local emergency managers, and the private sector Updated information in each chapter, especially on how social media has emerged as a force in disaster communications