Media strengthening partnership equipped journos on disaster reporting
The UK government organised a three-day training on Planning and Reporting on Natural Disasters in partnership with the BBC, SIBC and Media Association of Solomon Islands.
Journalists in Solomon Islands have this month learned from a three-day training on Planning and Reporting on Natural Hazards and Disasters. The media play a vital role in helping the public prepare for a disaster and keeping them informed in during a disaster.
Journalists from Solomon Star, Island Sun, SIBC, Solomon Business Magazine, Isles Media, Barava FM, Paoa FM and provincial-based reporters were part of the three-days training held last Friday.
The team covered the role of the National Disaster Management Office and the National Disaster Plan, how local projects are building resilience, how can the media communicate resilience, how the media can be prepared, trauma-sensitive coverage, plans, stories and lifeline information.
The training was part of the UK government’s supported partnership between the BBC, SIBC and the Media Association of Solomon Islands.
Speaking at the workshop opening, British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands and Nauru, His Excellency Thomas Coward said:
The role of the media in any crisis is essential to how it unfolds. The work that you did during COVID-19 to inform people on the virus, to let them know what was happening and help them understand what they needed to do was fantastic. There is more we can do together to help the people of Solomon Islands prepare and respond to crisis.
President of the Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI), Georgina Kekea said:
This is the first time MASI could venture into such a partnership, being a pilot project and we hope that what BBC Media Action took back from Solomon Islands will be helpful in their work especially to help the media industry not only in Solomon Islands but also in the Pacific region.
The programme has conducted other training sessions for journalists in Honiara, Auki and Gizo recently.
Chief Executive Officer of the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC), Johnson Honimae said:
On behalf of the SIBC, I would like to thank the British High Commissioner, H.E Tom Coward, the BBC Media Action and the Media Trainer, Ms Naomi Goldsmith for the training sessions so far. I look forward to SIBC staff benefiting from the other training sessions left under the current phase of the Project.
Conducted at the Heritage Park Hotel in Honiara, last week’s session on “Planning and Reporting on Natural Hazards and Disasters workshop ended over the weekend.
Media enquiries
Rickson Bau | Press & Public Affairs Officer
British High Commission Honiara
Phone: (+677) 21705 Ext. 2004
Mobile: (+677) 8434221
Email: bhc.honiara@fcdo.gov.uk