Communicating disasters

Information is a powerful tool, especially in a disaster. Media can be an invaluable conduit to alert communities of impending disasters, to update the situation during a disaster, and to profile real-life stories when the rebuilding begins. Media can bring people up close and personal to the site of the disaster and show images as they unfold in real time. Journalists have the power to both inspire positive action as well as ignite fear, depending on the nature and content of the stories they shape