Event Description
Climate change gets coverage. HIV/AIDS issues are reported in depth. Oils spills make front-page news. Yet, where are the water and sanitation stories, pictures, issues and people in the print, online, broadcast and social media? Most water, sanitation and development professionals, and probably some journalists, producers and managing editors, would answer, "Less present than they should be."

This session will find out where the bottlenecks are in the communications from water and sanitation professionals to journalists, vice versa, and what can be done about them. It will look closely at the challenges in reporting on water and discuss how the water community can break down complicated topics to better frame the issues as well as to "get inside the mind of the journalist" and understand today’s media working environment. In turn, participating journalists will offer insight on how stakeholder organisations can serve as a content provider to media.

The second half of the seminar features the 2010 WASH Media Awards ceremony, where seven journalists from different parts of the world will be honoured for their work to highlight sanitation, hygiene and related issues through the media. The competition is co-sponsored by SIWI and WSSCC and recogniszes and supports the crucial role of the media in raising awareness of the importance of water, sanitation and hygiene services.

Programme

Chair: Jon Sawyer, Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting
Co-chair: Britt-Louise Andersson, SIWI