Dart Blog New Safety Code for Australian News Media
New Safety Code for Australian News Media
A code to protect the safety of media professionals was launched yesterday at the "Reporting Wars: Challenges and Responsibilities" conference in Sydney, Australia.
The 16-point code calls on news organisations to fully ensure the physical and emotional safety of staff assigned to conflict and hazardous zones. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports: "The code discourages any risk taking in pursuit of a story and states counselling should be provided after coverage of traumatic events."
The code was announced following a full-day conference that focused on international humanitarian law, journalists' safety and the relationship between the media, aid agencies and the military. Participants included Bruce Shapiro, executive director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, and keynote speakers Florian Westphal of the International Committee of the Red Cross and Chris Cramer of Reuters News and the International News Safety Institute.
At the end of the day, Cramer stated that he'd learned an important lesson: that a unit on international humanitarian law should be a component part of all hostile environment training courses. The ABC in Australia already includes this in their training for hazardous situations.
Cait McMahon
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Cait McMahon PhD (Cand.) is a registered psychologist and fulltime managing director of Dart Centre Asia Pacific, with headquarters in Melbourne, Australia and activities throughout the Asia Pacific region. McMahon has been interested in the nexus of journalism and trauma since working as staff counsellor at The Age newspaper in Melbourne, Australia in the mid ‘80’s and 90’s. This interest resulted in postgraduate research in the area in 1993 with subsequent publications.
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Comments
Please tell me where I can get a copy of the 16 point code.
Thank you.
lisosky@yahoo.com
I have tried to access an online copy of the code but I cannot find it - so I write directly from the hard copy I received at the launch of the code.
AUSTRALIAN NEWS MEDIA SAFETY CODE
* This does not include the preamble, but only the 16 points of the code.
1) The preservation of life and the management of safety are paramount. News organisations should make clear to news personnel that unwarranted risks in the pursuit of a story are unacceptable and strongly discouraged. News organisations should consider safety first before competitive advantage.
2) Assignments to war and other danger zones and hazardous assignments must be voluntary and news organisations should only assign experienced news gatherers or those under the direct supervision of experienced personnel.
3) Either an editor at base or news personnel in the field may decide to terminate an assignment in a danger zone or other hazardous assignment.
4) News organisations should monitor the safety and well-being of news personnel in the field, who in turn should keep editors informed of safety and security developments.
5)News personnel should receive appropriate safety and risk awareness training before being assigned to a known danger zone or on other hazardous assignments.
6) News organisations should ensure that news personnel being assigned to war and conflict zones are aware of the international rules of armed conflict as set out in the Geneva Convention and other relevant international humanitarian law.
7) News organisations should ensure that news personnel familiarise themselves with the political, physical and social conditions in the areas where they are due to work.
8) News organisations should ensure that news personnel familiarise themselves with relevant laws or regulations that restrict freedom of movement and the right to interview and take photographs or film during an assignment.
9) News organsiations must provide safety equipment and medical and health safeguards appropriate to the threat to news personnel assigned to danger zones or on other hazardous assignments.
10) News organisations should ensure that news personnel have appropriate financial cover (e.g. insurance) against personal injury and death while working in danger zones or on other hazardous assignments.
11) News organisations should provide free access to confidential counselling for news personnel involved in coverage of traumatic events and for their immediate families. They should train personnel and managers in recognition of post traumatic stress.
12) News organisations should ensure the immediate families of news personnel have access to appropriate and timely advice on the safety of their loved ones in danger zones or on other hazardous assignments.
13) Journalists and other news personnel are neutral observers and the neutrality of news personnel is an essential safeguard. No member of the news media should carry a firearm in the course of their work.
14) News organisations agree to work together to maintain common standards in safety training for news personnel and to share information and expertise to improve the overall level of safety throughout the industry.
15) News organisations will actively participate in bodies such as the Australian News Safety Group, the International News Safety Institute (INSI) or other news industry bodies dedicated to improving safety and security.
16) News organisations will co-operate in lobbying governments, the police, military forces, and other groups when necessary for the safety of news personnel and to safeguard their ability to gather and report news.
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