Prioritise Grief Over Story
Summary
Flood coverage from Rasuwa has raised concerns over journalists filming grieving survivors and children without proper consent. Nepal’s Press Council says disaster victims must be treated with dignity under fresh humane communication guidelines.
Key Points
- Flood coverage from Rasuwa and surrounding districts has sparked criticism over intrusive interviews and graphic footage of grieving survivors.
- The Press Council has issued new guidelines on positive, humane and responsible communication during disasters.
- The guidelines call on journalists to identify themselves, explain interviews, seek informed consent and avoid distressing close-ups of children and bereaved families.
- The Council says much of the flood-related content it reviewed violated the existing code of conduct, including material from mainstream outlets.
