Covering Natural Disasters: A Critical Lens

The Ryerson Review of Journalism is pleased to invite you to our upcoming conference Covering Disasters: a critical lens on Tuesday, November 21, 2017.

In recent times, images of smoldering wildfires, lashing hurricanes, fearsome earthquakes and devastating mudslides inundated our newspapers, TV screens and smartphones, feeding a never-ending public fascination with natural disasters and the human cost left in their wake.

What responsibilities do journalists operating in the wake of a natural disaster carry? Is it a reporter's responsibility to educate? To check the duties of policymakers tasked to prepare for the worst and minimize harm? How can we broadcast human tragedy with humanity, respect and sincerity? Does new technology pose new ethical concerns? Where are we missing the mark?

In addition to the conference, the RRJ will publish a corresponding multimedia package and online resources for journalists. It will be a day for practicing and emerging journalists to learn from those with significant experience in the field, and for local, national and international aid organizations and disaster experts to share insights to inform our best practices.

Conference speakers include Rachel Pulfer (Journalists for Human Rights); Angela Mullins (editor Metro); Ed Ou (conflict and disaster photojournalist); Matt Ingram (Columbia Journalism Review); Cliff Lonsdale (Canadian Journalism Forum); Blake Fitzpatrick (Ryerson School of Image Arts), and the keynote adress will be presented by Catherine Porter, the New York Times Canada bureau chief, who will speak on her experience covering Haiti.