Asia-Pacific Broadcasters share disaster management plans

Broadcasters from 13 countries came together in Kuala Lumpur this week to learn about the latest tools available to effectively communicate and inform the public during disaster situations.

The ABU workshop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 3-5 September 2014 was co-hosted by the Hoso Bunka Foundations (HBF), a not-for-profit foundation established by ABU member NHK.

ABU Technology Director Dr Amal  Punchihewa said the three-day hands-on workshop attended by 41 delegates was a success as it “focused particularly on the experiences of 6 ASEAN countries and the central role of their media in disaster mitigation and management efforts”.

One of the highlights was a session on Working Together to Save Lives, a case study learning from the Japanese experiences presented by Dr Kazuyoshi Shogen.  Malaysia and Indonesia also presented individual case studies.

Another highlight was the demonstration of ABU’s Radio-in-a-Box that prompted a lively discussion on the use of the medium in remote areas and during rapidly developing disasters.

Dr Amal says the workshop provided the necessary emphasis and demonstrated the importance of coordination and working together, among all stakeholders, through the use of proven models and Standard Operational Procedures applicable to different types of disaster situations.