4.12 Working with local media

Local media are the main source of news for CARE beneficiaries and the public in the affected country, and efforts should be made whenever possible to provide information to local reporters, preferably in the local language. However, working with local reporters can be tricky; in many countries, different media have different political biases, or could be government-owned. Just as with international media, it is important to understand the potential bias or angle of a reporter or media outlet before engaging them; if not, you could create problems for CARE’s staff or programmes. If they are present, Internews, an NGO that is present in most developing countries with the mandate of training local journalists and improving communications in emergencies in particular, is a good source of guidance for working with local journalists. Working with the local media is the responsibility of the national Communications Officer or another CO-designated staff, with guidance from the LM or ECO if available. The priority of the ECO is the international media.