Journalists at a seminar yesterday said climate issues should not be reported to justify the goals of any donor agency or NGO.
They said producing news on climate should be aimed at benefitting the country, which would also help the state to face climate threats more effectively as awareness would grow.
Speaking at the daylong seminar titled “Building critical mass awareness of climate change”, they also said journalists working on climate issues should maintain professional integrity and have to plan their stories accordingly.
The seminar, which was held at the AS Mahmud Hall in the capital, was jointly organised by The Media Alliance, Forum of Environmental Journalists of Bangladesh (FEJB), Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication, and Development Media Limited.
“This is unfortunate to see that no one is loyal to the state right now. It is high time for us to draw the line when we report on issues concerning donor agencies,” said Saiful Huda, who works at a private TV channel.
Another employee at a TV channel Zahid Neaz Khan Jewel said climate issues should be prioritised by newsmen and they should get rid of the tendency to prepare climate reports only to receive awards.
Dr A Atiq Rahman, executive director at Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies, said the subject of climate has many scientific terms that are difficult to understand for the masses.
“It is the duty of journalists to write about climate issues in a way that the people will easily understand,” he added.
Urban Planner Khondker Neaz Rahman recommended an integrated planning for climate news coverage.
He also slammed reporters, saying they tend to report more on world climate rather than focusing on national climate and also disasters that happen in the country.
“Journalists who want to do reports on climate issues should gather knowledge on the subject and the right person should be sent to cover the right event in order to get flawless and comprehensive reports,” said Shahidul Islam Chowdhury, special affairs editor at the Dhaka Tribune.
“A reporter must take preparations to cover climate issues because there is no scope for working as a generalist in this particular field,” he added.
Nusrat Islam Khan, Bangladesh Country Coordinator of The Media Alliance, told the Dhaka Tribune the seminar was organised to observe how the press can better highlight the social, humanitarian, environmental and sustainable development implications of climate change through editorial contents, public service advertising, use of social media and other digital platforms.
“We are excited to see the overwhelming response,” she said.
