www.IndianJournals.com Members Copy, Not for Commercial Sale Downloaded From IP - 180.211.172.164 on dated 30-Dec-2014 4 Mass Communicator, July-September, 2014 NEWS COVERAGE OF CYCLONES AND RISK EXPOSURE OF JOURNALISTS IN BANGLADESH This paper explains the risk exposure of local correspondents in Bangladesh when covering cyclones. The findings identify correspondents working in the cyclone-prone coastal regions operate in the best interests of the beneficiaries and local people, but put themselves at increased exposure to risks. Data derived from in-depth interviews of 23 correspondents reveal that media professionals stationed in the coastal region provide first-hand information to different lifeline agencies about evacuation and relief needs of the area immediately, before and during any cyclonic hit. This study recognizes that negligence and lack of sensitivity and understanding from the staff at the headquarters acts as a deterrent for the local correspondents from carrying out their jobs. Œ Assistant Professor, Department of Communication and Journalism, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh ŒŒ ŒŒ ŒŒ ŒŒ ŒŒ Associate Professor, Department of Communication and Journalism, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh Rawshon Akhter Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ Mohammad Sahid UllahŒŒ ŒŒ ŒŒ ŒŒ ŒŒ Research The densely populated disaster-prone, South Asian country of Bangladesh has always considered timely warning dissemination as an important tool to mobilise resources for managing cyclone emergencies. Broadcasting information about the available emergency aid resources, especially through warning bulletins help people protect their lives and properties from cyclonic havoc. Studies (Jalarajan et al, 2010; Ullah, 2003; Chowdhury et al, 1993) have shown that radio and television in particular play a contributory role in the decision-making of people about whether or not to take refuge to safer places. There are no specific warning instructions issued for the people and if the instructions are issued by Storm Warning Centre (SWC) under the meteorological department ,these are very general in nature. On receiving the information journalists and local correspondents start working round the clock to inform people and the agencies about evacuation needs and measures that can be taken in their respective areas. This they do by ignoring their personal safety and as a personal choice. In spite of the media’s contributory role during the super-cyclones ‘Sidr’ and ‘Aila’, that hit Bangladesh coast in 2007 and 2009, a few questions remain unanswered about the safety measures required to tackle the problematic nature of cyclone reporting from the remote coastal regions, nearby shores and off-shore islands in the Bay of Bengal. I.Review of Literature The Global Assessment Report 2011 of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) ranked Bangladesh at the sixth worst position out of 89 highly cyclone-prone countries (UNISDR; 2012 quoted in Qayyum 2012). According to worldwide data, around 70 to 80 cyclonic storms are generated in a year and 7 per cent of these originate from the Bay of Bengal, striking the Bangladeshi coast with catastrophic consequences. These cyclones along with tidal bores and storm surges affect around 30 million poverty-stricken people in thirteen districts, offshore islands and hundreds of shoals along the country’s 710 km of coast. Bangladesh Disaster Management Bureau (BDMB) recorded a total of 104 cyclones during the last 250 years in the country, of these, 68 were recorded as severe, claiming between fifty thousand to half a million lives. The deadliest killer-cyclone hit the Bangladesh coast on 12 November 1970 that took a toll of half a million lives, with property losses amounting to more than a billion US dollars. Within a little over two decades, Bangladesh was lashed by another cyclone of catastrophic magnitude on 29 April 1991; it claimed the lives of about 138 thousand people, inflicting extensive damage to property worth more than two billion US dollars (Talukder et al., 1992). It is widely believed that the cyclone of 19 May 1997 was similar to that of 1991 but the death figure was only 155 because about 0.6 million people were shifted to cyclone shelters after a warning message from the disaster management authority (Chowdhury, 1999). Similarly, during the two recent cyclones that hit the south-west coast of Bangladesh (super-cyclone Aila in 2009 and Sidr in 2007) 190 and 3,406 lives were lost respectively owing to the prior issuance of warnings. However Rahman claimed, “further lives could have been saved had it not been for the failure to take adequate motivational calls by Key words: Bangladesh, cyclone, local journalists, risk exposure, safety measures. DOI NO.10.5958/0973-967X.2014.00001.5