{"id":4016,"date":"2017-10-29T22:07:00","date_gmt":"2017-10-29T21:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/amdf-centre.org\/?p=4016"},"modified":"2026-07-05T20:07:28","modified_gmt":"2026-07-05T19:07:28","slug":"4-tips-for-staying-safe-when-covering-disaster-or-unrest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/amdf-centre.org\/2017\/10\/29\/4-tips-for-staying-safe-when-covering-disaster-or-unrest\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Tips for Staying Safe when Covering Disaster or Unrest"},"content":{"rendered":"

A week after the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that rocked central Nepal in 2015, Prakash Mahat, a cameraman with Nepal TV News<\/a>, was covering both the aftereffects of the earthquake and the ongoing search for survivors in Kathmandu. Minutes after reaching the scene, a powerful aftershock almost toppled him into the wreckage.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t care that I was covering a rescue operation by standing on debris piled up nearby,\u201d said Mahat. \u201cAs the place started shaking, I was so scared. I lost my mind for a while and nearly lost my balance because I was shooting videos from a big, professional-sized camera. I forgot that tremors could come anytime.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dilip Thapa Magar, a Kathmandu-based freelance television reporter and activist who has reported hundreds of news stories on war, natural disasters and street protests for the past 16 years, said trauma reporting is different from standard reporting \u2014 and thus requires a specific set of skills.<\/p>\n

Ten years ago, during the Maoist insurgency uprising and conflict in Nepal, a family member of a police officer recently killed by Maoist rebels smashed Magar\u2019s camera.<\/p>\n

\u201cDue to being perceived as insensitive to the feelings of the victim\u2019s family, I was attacked physically,\u201d said Magar, who also serves as the vice chairman for the Federation of Nepalese Journalists. \u201cSo we must be highly sensitive and thoughtful. Published content should be \u2018trauma sensitive\u2019 and should not affect or harm anyone \u2014 victims and their families, audiences and journalists themselves, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Based on their decades-long experience in journalism, Magar and Narendra Shrestha, a Nepalese photojournalist who also covered the earthquake, shared some tips for staying safe when reporting in dangerous and traumatic situations:<\/p>\n

1. Know the geography well while reporting war from a conflict-hit zone<\/h4>\n

Journalists need to know transportation routes, both ground and air, if they\u2019re reporting from a conflict area. And journalists should also have a place to hide if violence or chaos erupts, like during a protest.<\/p>\n

\u201cNever take sides,\u201d Magar advised. \u201cNeither police nor protestors, if you want to keep yourself safe.\u201d The better a journalist knows an area, the more likely he will eventually return to his newsroom.<\/p>\n

2. Sometimes, journalists have to be clever<\/h4>\n

\u201cPrepare yourself for situations where you have to deal with gunmen, warlords or rebels,\u201d said Magar. He recollected giving money and clothes to rebels who stopped his team in Nepal during the Maoist insurgency period. \u201cI did not reveal my real identity and disguised myself as a tourist guide since the situation was life-threatening,\u201d he said. \u201cAfter three days in captivity, they allowed me to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. Be prepared with provisions<\/h4>\n

Natural disasters can strand reporters for long periods of time. Journalists should carry first aid equipment and food if traveling to a disaster zone, just in case.<\/p>\n

4. Mind the details<\/h4>\n

A stressed mind means a reporter is \u201cpsychologically not prepared\u201d and unable assess the physical and mental risks of a conflict or disaster-affected region. Magar suggested building a safety network before going to such zones, and also recommended reporters bring emergency contact information with them on assignment. They should also know the risks associated with events like protests and know how likely these events are to turn violent. Having a plan in the event of an emergency can help keep a reporter calm and more attentive to his or her work.<\/p>\n