What is the media?

Activity 10.1 Take a few moments to consider what we mean by "the media". On a sheet of paper, jot down what you consider is a definition of the media. What does the term mean to you? Once you have exhausted your thoughts, click on the box below to view our thoughts on what is the media. Save or print this activity

How does the media operate?

In this section we will look at how the media operates. We will examine some of the influences that impact upon media operations and the way that the media inter-relates with emergency management agencies.

Activity 10.2 Once again, take a few moments to consider the various things that influence how the media operate and act. On a sheet of paper, briefly list some of the things that you believe affect and influence the media, its communications and operations. Once you have exhausted your thoughts, click on the following link to see our thoughts on these influences. Save or print this activity

All of the things mentioned above can affect the message that is communicated via the media.

An example of a distortion is demonstrated by the following example:

How far did you get before you realised that the article was in fact an advertisement for a film. The injury and coma were suffered by a character played by Harrison Ford.

Do you recall having seen something similar in the print media recently? Today you may find that the media is actually required to identify advertising that takes on the representation of an authentic story. However you can appreciate how misunderstanding and confusion can occur.

It reminds me of another media cliche:

“never let the facts get in the way of a good story.”

But love them or hate them, the media are always going to be part of any emergency or disaster and they will need to be managed.

That reminds me of a speaker at a conference on 'Trauma and Emergencies'. It was the speaker's proposition that all the media in America should and would be kept one kilometre from the site of an event.

I believe that he was naive at best.

There is no way the media will allow themselves to be prevented from doing their job as they describe it: To keep the community informed.

You can no doubt recall countless examples of media coverage you have seen, where the media’s coverage was live as the event happened from directly above or next to the event. Examples from overseas are regularly reported on our evening news, where car chases in the USA are broadcast live as they occur from media helicopters. We see similar occurrences during major emergency/disaster events. The Hurricane Katrina evacuation and response is a prime example.

Therefore the focus of emergency managers needs to be on media management not on wars with the media.