Practise responsible reporting, journalists told

Our Reporter
Dimapur, Nov. 11 (EMN): A journalist or a media organisation should practise responsible reporting by not quoting the estimated monetary value of wildlife articles in question; it could inspire further poaching as there is no legal market rate or monetary value for illegal items in wildlife and also as per the law, stated Agni Mitra, regional deputy director, Eastern Region of India, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), on Thursday.

Mitra said this while speaking on the topic “Role of media in conflict/crisis management in forest/wildlife” at an online training programme on sensitisation of environmental management issues for media personnel, organised by the Central Academy for State Forest Service, Dehradun.

Mitra asserted that not revealing the location of identified wildlife and not sharing confidential information or pictures is another responsible reporting media can practice. He appealed to the media personnel to highlight the need for conservation for the future, educate the public about the importance of specific wildlife species in particular and emphasised that buyers were equal offenders in the eyes of law.

While doing investigative journalism, Mitra appealed to the journalists not to indulge in buying wildlife articles for investigation as it would encourage poaching. He explained that cages of wild animals need to be covered and not disturb the animal being rescued, and not use the camera flash or irritate the animal for better pictures.

Mitra stressed that welfare of the rescued wildlife was the first priority, followed by the safety of the government servants. He also said that a person nearby has to pay heed to the rescue team’s requirements as they are aware of the animal behaviour.

Addressing the need for conservation, he said that humans need nature, while nature does not need conservation by humans as they are the encroachers.

‘All conservation activities are aimed at human survival in the long term and there are millions of Indians who are dependent on forests to sustain themselves,’ he stated.

Film maker and environmentalist Mike Pandey, who was the chief guest of the programme, stated that journalists should concentrate on writing a balanced report involving issue, cause and solution ‘as the words by a journalist spread and motivate the people’.

“How a message reaches people is important even if there is legislation or laws. The approach needs to change with appeal and not command,” the filmmaker shared while recounting his initial days of making and producing the Green Oscar award film “Shores of silence,” on whale sharks of India.

Pandey said that when the government puts a ban on firecrackers, it has a reason and the same goes for ban on single-use plastics. He, therefore, urged to reflect on one’s contribution as a species.

He called on the journalists to ‘know the truth without ulterior motive’, which would ultimately reach the people.       

The training was held under the aegis of the Directorate of Forest Education, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in an effort to draw an insight on how the Forest department works, as media is an effective agency in spreading the importance of protecting the environment.