CPJ Journalist Security Guide
Covering the News in a Dangerous and Changing World
Democratic Republic of Congo, confirmed September 2007, Ebola outbreak An outbreak in Kasai Occidental Province lasted until February 2008. Radio news reports provided crucial health information that reached 60 percent of the population. Killed: At least 166
Zimbabwe, declared August 2008, cholera outbreak At the height of the outbreak, new patients were being registered at a rate of one per minute. Hospitals were short on staff, medicine, food, and equipment. Authorities denied and then downplayed the crisis, accusing reporters of trying to tarnish the nation’s image. Killed: 3,623 Affected: 76,127
Pakistan, confirmed July 2011, dengue fever outbreak A heavy monsoon season led to ideal conditions for mosquito breeding. Local media criticized the government for dragging its feet on the health crisis, which claimed the life of a former president of the East Pakistan Union of Journalists. Killed: 300 Affected: 20,000
Somalia, declared July 2011, famine Drought caused a famine that forced hundreds of thousands to flee to Ethiopia and Kenya. By 2012, the United Nations said that millions of people needed help. Long-term political violence had devastated the domestic press corps and made international news media access exceptionally difficult. Killed: Tens of thousands Affected: 10 million
Worldwide, declared June 2009, H1N1 outbreak The World Health Organization said the new strain of swine flu spread to more than 200 countries. Health officials cited the prevalence of air travel and high human-to-human transmission for the spread. Media centers issued safety guidelines to reporters covering the outbreak. Killed: At least 15,292
Haiti, confirmed October 2010, cholera outbreak Ten months after an earthquake that killed more than 200,000 people, authorities disclosed the outbreak of cholera. A press corps devastated by the quake struggled to cover the new disaster. Killed: Nearly 7,000 Affected: Nearly 500,000
Japan, March 2011, nuclear meltdown The 9.0-magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami triggered meltdowns in three nuclear reactors. Authorities ordered evacuation in a 20-kilometer zone. Officials obstructed news media and avoided tough questions about the crisis. Damages: US$235 billion
China, July 23, 2011, train crash Two trains collided after a signal malfunction. Authorities offered contradictory explanations, and ordered news media not to report on important aspects of the crash. Killed: 39
Outbreaks of the Ebola virus in Central Africa, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS coronavirus, in Asia, the H1N1 virus in tropical and other regions of the world, and cholera in Haiti are all examples of health epidemics that severely tested news media. Events involving bioterrorism as well as chemical and radiation emergencies pose yet another set of risks for the reporters and photojournalists covering them. As described in Chapter 7, freelancers should know that they may have to address risks and accept consequences on their own. A freelancer wishing to cover a health epidemic or mass hazard would do well to contact editors in advance to secure interest in possible stories, and to determine the level of institutional support a news organization might provide.