Paper for the Workshop on ‘Disaster Management for the Health Sector in Indonesia’,
Bali Padma Hotel, Kuta, 11-13 Juni 2003

VOLUNTEER ASSISTANCE AT SANGLAH HOSPITAL
AFTER THE KUTA BLAST (12-10-2002)

9. Media Outreach Centre

   The "Bali Updates " Newsletter / media centre was started on13 Oct 2002 around noon from the Ubud area. It liaisoned with volunteers that were at the ground at Sanglah Hospital to feed information out to the community. The media outreach centre at the hospital, which worked in conjunction with one in the Ubud area was established two days later as the international and local media were flooding to the hospital. Some foreign volunteers were involved, some also working from their computer at home.

   The Media Outreach Centre and its branche in Ubud had the following functions:

   • To keep well informed about as many aspects of the crisis situation as possible.
   • Organizing press releases about the status quo, addressing major issues (FAQ = frequently asked questions). These were distributed on the ground at Sanglah.
   • Compile a media data base contact list so that important updates could be quickly emailed out to many recipients.¹⁴
   • Booking interviews with key volunteers / community members at times which were less disruptive for their work.
   • Supporting those in need with guidelines on dealing with the media prior to interviewing & or important speech giving.
   • Establishing a media monitoring system. Foreign media (newspapers, television and radio) were monitored to see what was reported about the Kuta bomb blast and subsequent related events. Purpose was to give feedback and rectify false news reports. Press releases / FAQ were then prepared with these considerations in mind.
   • Serve as a ‘barrier’ between media and hospital staff / volunteers, victims and their families on the other.
   • Give information to people about how people could help (what was and wasn’t needed).
   
   

   As was to be expected, a disaster of this size and 'special character' (lots of foreign victims and the reason for targeting them still a question mark, but indicating a terrorist action), the Kuta blast attracted foreign and domestic journalists in large numbers. Some were after sensational news and pictures, stepping over the line of media ethics.¹⁵ At the hospital the ad hoc ‘watchdog’ function of the media centre was not able to prevent a number of unsavory incidents. Journalists from different media interviewed worried and bereaved family members who were already very upset only adding to their distress. Also volunteers were interviewed who were nearly over the edge because of fatigue and perhaps trauma, and volunteers who did not (and could not) give a fair judgment on what was going on in the hospital. Some journalists even went so far as nearly entering the Melati ward forcefully to interview a heavily injured victim in search of a scoop because the woman was said to have seen the person responsible for the bombing.

   Sometimes it was not intentional that ethical standards were trampled on. Pictures of bodies were put on the internet by an (unprofessional) individual who just wanted to help out with identification, not realizing that such pictures might be very shocking for family involved. After the person realized the problem, the pictures were taken from the net.

   The media monitoring function can be very important as well. For example, on the 2^nd day an incorrect postmortem list was issued on the internet. This could be rectified through encouragement and explanation from a media centre representative.

   The hotline made it a rule that no one working there was allowed to talk to the press. Nevertheless, lists made at the hotline seem to have reached the press anyway. And pictures of bodies to be used for identification were stolen from the morgue. After all, such information means 'money'.

   Recommendations: Establish a media centre with the tasks described above. Provide hard and software for the centre. All journalists have to report at the media centre and accompanied when they want to cover something or make an interview. Involve professional media experts for the media outreach centre, for example through the local journalist’s association. Involve foreign media professional(s) – to liaison (when expected media attention will be international). Appoint a key person with the authority to speak on behalf of the hospital to the press. Take measures to ensure that internal data are not viewed inappropriately or stolen.

   
   

   14 List is with Bali Hati 15 At ground zero some extremely upsetting pictures were taken and published such as a picture of a Pompei like blackened body of a young female in a position easily interpreted as obscene watched by a crowd of Indonesians. Such images easily convey messages that may be totally out of context.

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