The Hindu : New Delhi News : `Kids' Parliament' ticks off media over tsunami coverage

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 13, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

`Kids' Parliament' ticks off media over tsunami coverage

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, FEB. 12. It was judgment time for the media as a "Bal Panchayat" -- Children's Parliament -- passed its verdict on the coverage of the recent tsunami disaster. A CASP-Plan project, the "Media Scanning on Tsunami" released over the week-end by the Bal Panchayat ruled that "news on child-related issues does not get enough attention".

A tsunami "report card"' on the rights of the child, the aim is to reach out to the Government and explain what the children want. "In the face of a disaster, the Government often does not know what a child wants. Whether it has to be a play centre, re-opening of a school or trauma counselling. And it is our belief that these things will get out only by speaking to the children,'' said K. Kannan of Plan India.

To prepare the report card, the children scanned a number of newspapers -- The Hindu (Delhi), The Indian Express (Mumbai), Rajasthan Patrika (Alwar), The Times of India (Ahemdabad), Jansatta (Delhi), Dainik Tribune (Delhi), Dainik Jagran (Delhi) and the Telegraph (Calcutta) -- between December 27, 2004, and January 10, 2005.

Besides open criticism on many points, the children raised many questions on the coverage in the papers, including lack of reporting on child-related issues. "So much money has been donated for tsunami victims, where has it gone? Why hasn't the media written about that?'' queried 11-year-old Aarti Rawat. They also raised questions about the lack of follow-up on children related stories and the fate of the children who have been adopted after the disaster.

"Many times, newspapers use pictures to depict what has happened. They are pictures of broken-down buildings, crumbling houses and structures. But along with this, they should also show pictures of hope -- how people are getting back to normal life. This will send positive signals and the fear created by such incidents will subside,'' said 13-year-old Ajay during a press meeting on Friday.

Another member of the Bal Panchayat added: "Why can't they print stories that are from the angle of the children? Instead of just writing stories about children, why not ask the children themselves how they feel? That way, the media might even be able to help a child.''

Speaking about the situation in the affected areas, Bhagyashri Dengle of Plan India noted: "None of the newspapers managed to raise a stir on the issue of child labour. In fact, as a result of tsunami, there is increasing incidence of child labour in these States because parents have lost their jobs. In the region we visited in Andhra Pradesh, there is a lot of bonded labour right now. Apart from the devastation angle, such issues should also be raised,'' she said. "Development tourism," she added, was the mood in the affected areas. "People are distributing things that are not needed. These are the issues that the media should bring to the fore -- what is needed and what can those who want to help do."

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