PESHAWAR: Participants of a training workshop here on Thursday highlighted the importance of precautionary measures and international standards by video journalists and digital satellite news gathering (DSNG) workers of television channels during the coverage of disasters and conflicts to prevent human loss.

They also insisted lack of training and the ‘breaking news’ competition among TV channels had put the lives of video journalists and DSNG staffers at risk.

The day-long training organised by Individualland Pakistan was attended by around 22 cameramen and DSNG engineers and other staffers of television channels.

The participants said adherence to international rules and regulations during the live coverage of bomb blasts, floods, earthquake or other dangerous incidents could be very useful for the safety of video journalists.

IL master trainer Farhan Ahmad said the television channels had indulged in a race of breaking news, which was a threat to the lives of their staffers.

He urged video journalists and DSNG workers to follow the instructions given by law-enforcement agencies during manmade and natural disasters and not to cross the limits pointed out by them.

Mr. Ahmad said TV channel staffers had to improve their technical expertise to prevent their lives from dangers during the coverage of bomb blasts and calamities.

He asked cameramen to use zoom functions of their cameras instead of going to close to the danger zone for close shots.

“Showing efficiency and heroism while covering dangerous events could be detrimental to video journalists’ lives and therefore, they should catch the scenes of such events from a safer distance. Their lives are more precious than the event coverage,” he said.

The participants said those assigning duties in the newsroom often forced the field staff members for closer shots of events despite knowing the threat to their lives in such coverage.

They said they often lacked the latest equipment, including cameras, and therefore, owners of their channels should be asked to provide them with such equipment.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2016