UNESCO Team Completes Media Needs Assessment Mission to Tsunami-hit Banda Aceh
31-01-2005 (Paris)
The Owner of Radio Nikoya in Banda Aceh in front of the destroyed station
© UNESCO
A UNESCO team has completed a mission to assess the media situation in the Indonesian province Banda Aceh, following the natural disasters that hit the area on 26 December 2004. International Media Support (IMS), a Denmark-based media NGO, also participated in the mission that took place from 19 to 27 January 2005.
UNESCO’s Arya Gunawan reports: “The earthquake and tsunami that hit Aceh has resulted in the destruction of the media environment in the province, especially in the two worst-affected areas, namely the capital of the province Banda Aceh, and the town of Meulaboh.
Several days following the tsunami, practically there is no single channel of communication and information for the people who live in these two places. The print media lost some of its staff including reporters and its equipment, while half of the total 30 radio stations that existed in the entire province of Aceh, are no longer in a position to continue their operations. Twelve radio stations in Banda Aceh were either damaged or destroyed, including local Indonesian state radio RRI. In the town of Meulaboh, all four radio stations that existed before have also been damaged. The radio stations have also lost several of its crews.
As of today, some channels of communication as well as daily newspaper are available again, but most of the radio stations are still not back in operation, particularly because they do not have any infrastructure since the buildings of radio stations were completely destroyed, the equipments are no longer there, and the media workers are still coping with the traumatic experience that they experienced.
During the mission, UNESCO clearly found out that the media sector needs substantial inputs as regards equipment and reconstruction, as well as training and program concept development and production of humanitarian information.
Some emergency/urgent actions have been taken during the presence of UNESCO team, namely the provision of some equipments that are urgently needed by the radio stations in Banda Aceh (i.e. one unit of electricity generator for Radio Suara Aceh, the emergency radio station that was established through the initiative of Indonesia’s Association of Private Broadcasters; and one unit of Marantz for Radio Suara Prima). In addition to this, the UNESCO team also succeeded in organizing a three-day training for radio reporters in Banda Aceh, attended by 12 participants from 5 radio stations.”
UNESCO is now in the process of starting projects aiming at helping as many local radios as possible on all levels needed, with supports from various possible potential donors – which UNESCO is still appealing now -- who have same concerns and interest as UNESCO in the rebuilding of media capacity in the province of Aceh.
On 6 January 2005, UNESCO launched an appeal for $ 600,000 for immediate assistance to restore radio broadcasting in Aceh.
Several days following the tsunami, practically there is no single channel of communication and information for the people who live in these two places. The print media lost some of its staff including reporters and its equipment, while half of the total 30 radio stations that existed in the entire province of Aceh, are no longer in a position to continue their operations. Twelve radio stations in Banda Aceh were either damaged or destroyed, including local Indonesian state radio RRI. In the town of Meulaboh, all four radio stations that existed before have also been damaged. The radio stations have also lost several of its crews.
As of today, some channels of communication as well as daily newspaper are available again, but most of the radio stations are still not back in operation, particularly because they do not have any infrastructure since the buildings of radio stations were completely destroyed, the equipments are no longer there, and the media workers are still coping with the traumatic experience that they experienced.
During the mission, UNESCO clearly found out that the media sector needs substantial inputs as regards equipment and reconstruction, as well as training and program concept development and production of humanitarian information.
Some emergency/urgent actions have been taken during the presence of UNESCO team, namely the provision of some equipments that are urgently needed by the radio stations in Banda Aceh (i.e. one unit of electricity generator for Radio Suara Aceh, the emergency radio station that was established through the initiative of Indonesia’s Association of Private Broadcasters; and one unit of Marantz for Radio Suara Prima). In addition to this, the UNESCO team also succeeded in organizing a three-day training for radio reporters in Banda Aceh, attended by 12 participants from 5 radio stations.”
UNESCO is now in the process of starting projects aiming at helping as many local radios as possible on all levels needed, with supports from various possible potential donors – which UNESCO is still appealing now -- who have same concerns and interest as UNESCO in the rebuilding of media capacity in the province of Aceh.
On 6 January 2005, UNESCO launched an appeal for $ 600,000 for immediate assistance to restore radio broadcasting in Aceh.
Participants of the crash training of UNESCO for radio reporters in Banda Aceh© UNESCO
Related themes/countries
· Tsunami in South Asia
· Public Service Broadcasting: News Archives 2005
· Indonesia: News Archive 2005
· Media in Conflict and Post-Conflict Situations: News Archives 2005
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Contact information
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Contact
- Wijayananda Jayaweera, UNESCO, Communication Development Division
- Arya Gunawan, UNESCO Office in Jakarta
- UNESCO
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