Disaster Reporting in Print Media (Special reference to selected newspapers in Sri Lanka)

Abstract

Environmental information that will be important in future to build the sustainable society. Environmental reporting is, regardless of its name or disclosure media, to promote communication of organizations, to fulfill its accountability regarding environmental efforts in their activities, and to provide useful information to decision making of interested parties. Problem of the study was how print media reported one selected case in Sri Lanka in 2014.Objective is to study about disaster reporting in print media. Methodology is content analyzing. Selected three newspapers and content analyzed the newspapers in seven days. Time frame was 30th October 08th November. Selected three newspapers Rivira,Mawbima, Lakbima in seven daysafter the disaster. Analyzed headlines, articles, features, cartoons which related to the selected incident. More spaces had allocated to report this incident, mostly colour photos used and victim’s photos published. And most of the articles written to aroused this in reader’s emotion. And selected newspapers not given proper attention in media ethics.Media wants to be more responsibility during crises or disasters.