Experts state that media responsibility increases during disaster situations like earthquakes, emphasizing the expectation for media to be both sufficiently fast and to not transmit unverified information.
Prof. Dr. Süleyman İrvan emphasized that a broadcasting approach, which can be summarized as ‘deliver the news quickly, but accurately,’ should be established in earthquake journalism, stating, “Unfortunately, today's journalistic practice largely operates through social media platforms, and the primary principle of social media is speed. It is not easy to change this understanding with a verification-based journalistic approach.” İrvan stated that implementing transparent crisis management would ensure accurate information flow, and pointed out that journalists must pay attention to certain issues when broadcasting during and after an earthquake, and that language causing public outrage should not be used for the sake of ratings.
Prof. Dr. Süleyman İrvan, Head of the Journalism Department at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Communication, made statements regarding the importance of media acting with a sense of social responsibility, maintaining a balance between speed and accuracy, especially during disaster situations like earthquakes.
Media's Responsibility Increases Further in Disasters Like Earthquakes
Reminding that problematic journalistic practices were observed in the media after the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes on February 6, 2023, Prof. Dr. Süleyman İrvan said, “As Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Communication, we had created an ‘Earthquake Journalism Guide’ regarding these news reports and social media shares. As we emphasized in this guide, media responsibility increases further in disasters like earthquakes.”
İrvan stated that when an earthquake occurs, people try to find out what happened as soon as possible, and added, “Therefore, media is expected to be both sufficiently fast in breaking news and to not transmit unverified information. The media will be successful to the extent it can strike a balance between these two. In earthquake journalism, we need to establish a broadcasting approach that can be summarized as ‘deliver the news quickly, but accurately.’”
It's Not Easy to Change the Speed-Driven Approach with a Verification-Based Journalistic Approach!
Prof. Dr. Süleyman İrvan, stating that not compromising on accuracy should be accepted as a principle when balancing accuracy and speed, said, “Unfortunately, today's journalistic practice largely operates through social media platforms, and the primary principle of social media is speed. Similarly, news websites broadcasting online also have a speed-driven broadcasting approach. It is not easy to change this understanding with a verification-based journalistic approach.”
İrvan pointed out that sharing false or incomplete information in earthquake news has many negative effects on society and continued:
Fake News Harms Media's Credibility
“Firstly, it can lead to fear and panic in society. We saw an example of this in Hatay. A rumor that spread about a dam bursting caused panic among the public. Secondly, it can disrupt rescue and aid operations. For example, rescue teams can panic and leave their work areas, or teams can be directed to the wrong places. Thirdly, it damages public trust in the media. Fake news harms the media's credibility.”
'Preventive Journalism' Should Be Practiced in Media During Disasters
Prof. Dr. Süleyman İrvan, noting that it is not possible to completely eliminate falsehoods and disinformation on social media, also stressed that restricting social media platforms during disasters is not correct. Stating that the negative effects of this practice were also seen during the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes, İrvan said, “What needs to be done is to implement transparent crisis management. What does this mean? Firstly, accurate information flow must be rapidly provided by authorized units. If you do not provide accurate information flow, rumors will quickly take over. Accurate information flow can also be ensured through good organization. Secondly, just like during the pandemic, a scientific board consisting of earthquake experts should be established, and the media should be informed by the experts on this board. When different voices emerge from every quarter, society becomes helpless. What citizens should do during an earthquake should be well explained, and ‘preventive journalism’ should be practiced in the media.”
Sources Must Be Accessible and Journalists Must Be Able to Get Answers to Their Questions…
Prof. Dr. Süleyman İrvan noted that sharing unconfirmed information from official sources can negatively affect rescue efforts during an earthquake and cause panic among the public, stating, “However, official sources are also expected to provide timely and accurate information to the media. Sources must be accessible, and journalists must be able to get answers to their questions. Unfortunately, in Turkey, official authorities sometimes have a bad habit of concealing negative developments.”
What Should Journalists Pay Attention To While Broadcasting During and After an Earthquake?
Prof. Dr. Süleyman İrvan also touched upon the issues journalists should pay attention to when broadcasting during and after an earthquake, and said:
“A careful language should be used when speaking with people waiting for their relatives to be rescued from the rubble. Sensitivity should be shown when interviewing earthquake victims and reporting news, and human emotions and values should not be disregarded. Great care should be taken when extending microphones to people whose relatives are still under the rubble. Images of those who lost their lives in the earthquake, especially those showing their faces, should be avoided. When reporting news related to the earthquake, it is not appropriate to dramatize images by adding music. Unnecessary contact should not be attempted with people under the rubble in a way that would endanger their health for the sake of journalism.”
Language That Will Create Public Outrage Should Not Be Used For The Sake Of Ratings!
İrvan stated that journalists might capture shocking images during an earthquake, “However, when broadcasting these images, one should act with a sense of social responsibility, and attention should be paid to the news language. It is wrong to present news by shouting, using language that would create public outrage such as ‘shocking images’ or ‘you won't believe what you see,’ merely for the sake of ratings.” he concluded his words.
