Importance of Media in Risk Reduction and Management in Southern Africa
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- Date Submitted: 08/24/2015 07:36 AM
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Q; Examine the significance of media in disaster risk reduction and disaster management in Southern Africa.
In recent years a larger number of communities have had to bear the adverse effectsof hazards .The Southern part of Africa which is the study area of this script has experienced more frequent disasters most significantly droughts ,earthquakes ,fires and floods to mention but just a few.The media has however, intriguingly pulled an enormous stunt directed towards reducing the risk and managing these disasters.It has been a powerful force that has influenced policy change and bridged the information gap between communities and governments. Various schools of thought have contended that ,the dialogue created by the media between government and communities has helped shift the focus from a culture of reaction to a culture of prevention,as highly emphasized by koffi Annan (1999),Emergence unit(2005).Ikramova (2012) remarks that the media has provided much needed drive in risk mitigation and disaster preparedness in many societies, around the globe.Indeed it has compellingly ,acted as the best early warning system ,provided analysis of risks sources and patterns ,advocated for risk reduction ,taken care of the marginalized trapped groups ,facilitated communication among the so many factors that will be discussed in the script below. This writing will substantiate the importance of media through analysing the strengths it has posed towards disaster mitigation and management. It will illustrate mainly using cases that have been experienced in Southern Africa as the question demands.
It is of utmost importance to delimit the term disaster clearly revealing the complications it causes to attract the significant attention of media. Dwivedi (2010) advances that,disaster is a sudden, calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, destruction and devastation to life and property. He further poses that the damage caused by disasters is immeasurable and varies with the...
In recent years a larger number of communities have had to bear the adverse effectsof hazards .The Southern part of Africa which is the study area of this script has experienced more frequent disasters most significantly droughts ,earthquakes ,fires and floods to mention but just a few.The media has however, intriguingly pulled an enormous stunt directed towards reducing the risk and managing these disasters.It has been a powerful force that has influenced policy change and bridged the information gap between communities and governments. Various schools of thought have contended that ,the dialogue created by the media between government and communities has helped shift the focus from a culture of reaction to a culture of prevention,as highly emphasized by koffi Annan (1999),Emergence unit(2005).Ikramova (2012) remarks that the media has provided much needed drive in risk mitigation and disaster preparedness in many societies, around the globe.Indeed it has compellingly ,acted as the best early warning system ,provided analysis of risks sources and patterns ,advocated for risk reduction ,taken care of the marginalized trapped groups ,facilitated communication among the so many factors that will be discussed in the script below. This writing will substantiate the importance of media through analysing the strengths it has posed towards disaster mitigation and management. It will illustrate mainly using cases that have been experienced in Southern Africa as the question demands.
It is of utmost importance to delimit the term disaster clearly revealing the complications it causes to attract the significant attention of media. Dwivedi (2010) advances that,disaster is a sudden, calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, destruction and devastation to life and property. He further poses that the damage caused by disasters is immeasurable and varies with the...