One TV reporter in Taiwan was killed by a natural disaster while he was gathering information on the hazard. The accident stirred the media world and triggered a lot of debate everywhere in the society. The Taiwanese news association gathered together on Nov. 10 scholarly associations and an official in charge of the media concerned in order to discuss measures to prevent another such accident from recurring.

Like Taiwan, Japan is also exposed to hazards such as typhoons and earthquakes. Thirteen years ago, Japan had to pay a tragic price for reporting on a natural disaster. Japan Broadcasting Corporation or NHK which is supposed to report on hazards all over Japan has in particular learned from its failure. This is no doubt what Taiwanese media has to learn.

A volcano erupted in Shimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture, on June 3, 1991. The event caused the most tragic accident which occurred during news gathering on a natural disaster. At that time, according to meteorological observatories, the speed of lava flow was expected to slow after Mt. Unzen erupted. However, that was wrong and, to everyone's surprise, the last eruption of the mountain entailed a large-scale of lava flow at a temperature of seven hundred degrees Celsius as well as heated air which flowed down to the foot of the mountain, causing 43 deaths including two staff members of NHK and 16 personnel from other media organizations.

The reporter with NHK, who was one of the victims, could have avoided the disaster. In late May that year, volcanic activities became frequent and the police established a prohibited zone to prevent people from entering nearby to the crater of the volcano. However, a reporter from a semi-private TV station entered into the zone and took shots of the crater which were of quite good quality. Under competitive pressure, the NHK reporter, who had abided by the imposed restriction, went ahead with news gathering in the zone. However, the tragedy, which shook the media world, took place as the situation made it impossible for him to avoid being involved in the accident.

The lesson NHK learned shocked it, and it decided to reinforce safety measures and to use remote controlled cameras to monitor volcanic activities. NHK has been widely utilizing the device for news gathering on typhoons, heavy rains, earthquakes and tsunami, thereby preventing staff members from becoming victims. The accident of the volcano in Nagasaki has remained in the memory of the Japanese media.

The Taiwanese reporter also lost his life while gathering news on a flood which occurred under flood prevention work. His case was the same as that of the NHK reporter who courageously entered the zone near the volcanic crater under a warning. Both of them reported with strong enthusiasm and sought perfect accomplishment. However, it is regrettable that they ended up as parties involved in tragic incidents.

Gathering news by its very nature entails danger. However, staff members from the news media do not retreat from scenes even if they are in dangerous situations. Reporters at scenes should therefore make their own judgment on whether or not they are in dangerous situations. In addition to daily know-how on danger, news reporters should prepare for possible natural disasters so as to protect themselves, because there is a thin line between a possible hazard and real danger. That line determines the life and death of reporters.