Media reporting on Cyclone raised

The Red Cross has raised concerns at media reporting on the aftermath on Aitutaki from Cyclone Pat.
The concerns are set out in the “Red Cross Rapid Initial Assessment Report” dated 12 February 2010 as follows;
Quote-
“Media Issues
The Red Cross team had to endure the brunt of many concerning reporting by themedia as well the misinformation by families from around the world which in most cases were misleading and too often been exaggerated. Although these are lessons learnt, there needs to be a better system so that information from the island should be provided from the right people.
There has been little effort by the media wanting to know progress on the work which requires them to contact the right people on the Island on the relief efforts done. These are areas needing proper control and good management on how information is to be published.
There should be some responsibility to ensure the right information has been sorted and checked before anything is released to the media.
This thorough and in-depth report will not only give donor agencies, working partners and businesses an update on the progress of the relief work; this report will give in detail the challenges faced by hard working people who have given freely their time to help families in this most difficult period. There needs to be a proper information and communication management system in place to help speed the process of informing the public on activities. But most importantly to reward those who committed their time for working from the early hours of the morning till midnight feels that there contribution has purpose and is been appreciated by family victims of this disaster.”
-Unquote.
The Times understands that while the Red Cross state above that the report will give other parties an update on progress, Red Cross did not forward a copy to the Herald or the Times for wider publication. The report is dated 12 February but the Times was only made aware on Thursday of this information which was received from a contributor who does not want to be named because the person he got it from does not want to be named either. Why the secrecy where the media is concerned but not the other parties?
The Times is also critical of the Ministry for Infrastructure and Planning for not releasing their assessment report of the 14 February. A copy of that report also came to the Times via an unnamed person. Again, what is the purpose of the secrecy? Surely the information is in the public interest. However, secrecy was probably the best option for the Ministry as the quality of their report begs answers.
The Aitutaki disaster was a major event. Government should have immediately set up a media desk officer or a public relations unit to relay information and releases to the media outlets quickly. There should have been regular press conferences. Instead the media is left to chase after a range of people for information. In some cases key government personnel would not provide information for fear of upsetting someone in authority. Government needs to learn how to use the media to its advantage not run away from the media like a frightened hen.
The message to public servants is this, you are not paid to engage in silly, childish “cat and mouse games.” Make the information available.