REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON
EMERGENCY INFORMATION FLOWS IN DISASTER
SITUATIONS:
THE ROLE OF BROADCASTERS
13TH – 14TH JUNE, 2005. BANGKOK, THAILAND
The recent Indian Ocean tsunami has highlighted the need for increased cooperation between the media and meteorological, oceanographic and disaster
response organisations in ensuring that rapid and accurate information is
quickly transmitted to the public. Radio and television broadcasting can be a
vital communicator in this process, as well as playing an important long-term
role in awareness-raising and supporting educational efforts to ensure a wellinformed and prepared public.
DAY ONE (13th June)
08:30 hrs
09:00 hrs
Registration and coffee
OPENING REMARKS, INTRODUCTION AND ORIENTATION
made by Mr Pranesh C. Saha, Officer-in-Charge of the
Environment and Sustainable Development Division on behalf
of Dr Rae Kwon Chung, Director.
Martin Hadlow, UNESCO
Workshop facilitator will present objectives and
brief introduction of speakers and participants.
M. Joe Chung, UN/ISDR office for Asia
Craig Hobbs, Asia-Pacific Broadcasting
Union
Broadcast Participants:
Brief self-introduction by individual participating
broadcasters introduce their organizations and
their individual role in emergency alerts and
disaster preparedness and response.
09:30 hrs
Setting the scene: emergencies, disasters
and public information- a United Nations
perspective.
Joe Chung, Director, UN-ISDR:
governments in the communication of warnings,
the need for “one voice” in disaster situations
and the importance of radio and television in
communicating messages.
Miguel Fortes, Head of Office,UNESCO-IOC
Regional Secretariat for the Western
Pacific(WESTPAC): "UNESCO-IOC:
Enhancing National and Regional Capacity to
Deliver Reliable Tsunami Warning
Haleh Kootval, World Meteorological
Organisation (WMO):
The WMO and disaster/emergency information
linkages with the media. An overview of media
and meteorological services. Where, when and
how to get to meteorological service
information, and how to interpret and verify it.
10:30 hrs
Coffee break
10:45 hrs
Getting the message out: linking scientific
and emergency organizations with the media
Representative of the National Met service in
Thailand: Mr Sampan Thaikruawan
Director of Studies and Research Division
The ‘alert’ and information warning chain in
Thailand. How it is being planned, who is
responsible and how it will operate ?
Masayuki Kitamoto, Representative Asian
Disaster Reduction Centre (ADRC)
Total Disaster Risk Management (TDRM) and
the role of media.
Lolita Bildan, Experience of ADPC in
facilitating dialogue for enhancing improved
governance of media on climate forecasts.
Discussion in plenary.
12:15 hrs
13:30 hrs
Lunch
CURRENT INFORMATION FLOWS – FROM GEOLOGICAL/
OCEANIC/METEOROLOGICAL ORGANISATIONS TO
BROADCASTERS
Broadcast Participants -- These presentations
will include diagrams, graphic flow charts,
outlines and contact lists presented in
PowerPoint for easy visual reference for all
participants and to serve as working documents
for input and development by Geographic/
Oceanic/Meteorological Organisations and
UNISDR.
15:30 hrs
Coffee break
15:45 hrs
Success stories: operational emergency
warning systems
Tomio Kojima, Director of Disaster and
Safety Information Centre, NHK, Japan:
NHK is a key partner in the warning chain in
Japan. How the system functions and the limits
of a broadcaster in the warning chain.
M. C. Wong Assistant Director of Hong
Kong Observatory:
the mechanism in action and how information is
tailored for broadcasters.
Discussion in plenary.
17:30 hrs
Conclusions and close
19:00 hrs
Workshop dinner
DAY TWO (14th June)
08:30 hrs
09:00 hrs
Welcome coffee
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE: STRENGTHENING
BROADCASTING AND EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION
Air Chief Marshall Anubhund Snidvongse,
Vice Chairman of Sub-Committee on
National Disaster Warning Center
Administration, Thailand:
The ‘alert’ and information warning chain in
Thailand. How it is being planned, who is
responsible and how it will operate ?
Haleh Kootval, World Meteorological
Organisation, The need for a strong media
alliance. How to establish regular and strong
contacts with media to update broadcasters?
Media training?
Martin Hadlow, UNESCO: reaction to the
march tsunami alert and lessons learned in
establishing mechanisms for the future.
Terje Skavdal, OCHA: the impact of disaster
information in the field.
11.15 hrs
Group work: developing early-warning and
disaster awareness systems and
programmes
Participants with assistance from ADRC,
WMO, UN-ISDR, UNESCO/IOC, NHK, ABU,
Hong Kong Observatory:
Facilitator: Martin Hadlow, UNESCO
Groups review current national and regional
disaster preparedness and emergency
response mechanisms, public information
efforts and educational awareness
programmes. Development of proposals for the
future, including training needs, training and
publicity materials, educational publications and
radio/television programmes, methodologies for
more effective and efficient linkages with
scientific and other organizations in ensuring
the rapid delivery of messages in emergency
and disaster situations.
12:30 hrs
14:00 hrs
Lunch
PRESENTATIONS OF GROUP WORK
Representatives present the outcome of group
discussions and deliberations. Plenary
discussion after each presentation.
15:30 hrs
Coffee Break
15:45 hrs
Presentations of group work (continued)
17:00 hrs
Plenary, workshop evaluation and
conclusions
ADRC, WMO, UN-ISDR, UNESCO/IOC, ABU,
NHK, Hong Kong Observatory
Facilitator: Martin Hadlow, UNESCO
18:00 hrs
Close
NOTE -- Work to be done by participants – Outputs and Deliverables:



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Create information flow charts, which identify the appropriate and respective
meteorological, oceanographic and geographic organizations in their home
country, regionally and internationally from whom information on various
types of natural disasters is obtained.
Provide outlines on the methods, procedures, rates and accuracy in receiving
emergency information from the sources mentioned above.
Provide outlines on the methods, procedures, rates and accuracy in delivering
broadcast communication to individuals and communities.
Provide contacts within governmental and international
meteorological/geographic and oceanic organisations for confirming
information.
For further information, please contact:
Craig Hobbs
Sr Officer, International Relations &
Development Communications Team
Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union
PO Box 1164
2nd Floor New IPTAR Building
Angkasapuri
Kuala Lumpur 59700
Malaysia
Phone: +60 3 2282 4205
Fax: +60 3 22824606
Email: craig.h@abu.org.my
Brigitte Leoni
Media Relations Officer
United Nations Inter-Agency Secretariat
of the International Strategy for
Disaster Reduction
Palais des Nations CH-1211 Geneva,10,
Switzerland
Office A.578
Tel: (41.22) 917 49 68
Fax:(41.22) 917 01 69
Email: leonib@un.org