Expert Discussion on Crisis Reporting Held in Colombo.

The Centre for Investigative Reporting (CIR) hosted a special expert discussion titled “Front Lines of Truth: Reporting in Times of Crisis” on January 30, 2026, at the Sri Lanka Press Institute in Colombo. The discussion focused on crisis reporting and preparedness journalism in the context of Sri Lanka’s growing disaster risk.

Sri Lanka continues to face a medium to high level of overall disaster risk and is ranked 31st globally according to the INFORM Risk Index. The island is highly exposed to annual monsoon floods, landslides, cyclones, and prolonged dry weather conditions. Increasing urbanization and infrastructure development in high-risk zones such as flood plains and coastal areas have further intensified the country’s vulnerability. Sri Lanka also ranks among countries most exposed to extreme weather events, with over 80 percent of the population at risk, while climate-related threats remain significantly high.

Recent experiences during Cyclone Ditwah highlighted multiple shortcomings in crisis communication and media reporting. These included ineffective risk communication, limited preparedness-focused reporting, an over-reliance on urban-centered narratives, information gaps, failure to link disasters to long-term climate risks, language accessibility barriers, and other critical challenges.

In an environment where timely, accurate, and responsible media reporting is essential, the expert discussion aimed to identify these challenges and highlight best practices within the media industry for crisis reporting and preparedness journalism.

The discussion featured two distinguished speakers: Rajneesh Bhandari, an internationally renowned journalist and the Founder and Chief Editor of the Nepal Investigative Multimedia Journalism Network (NIMJN), and Dr. Sanjana Hattotuwa, a globally recognized expert on information disorder, new media literacy, and digital security. Both speakers shared valuable insights on the importance of professional disaster journalism that prioritizes public safety and effective crisis communication.

Following the expert presentations, a panel discussion was held, allowing for in-depth engagement and exchange of perspectives among participants on strengthening crisis reporting standards in Sri Lanka.

📌 https://www.youtube.com/@smn24news
📌 https://facebook.com/smn24news
📌 https://www.smn24.lk/
📌 t.me/LDVNftqjNP1hM2Zl
📌 https://smn24news.blogspot.com
📌 twitter.com/smn24lk
📌 https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSF55Fjqt/
📌 https://www.instagram.com/smn24lk/
📌 https://chat.whatsapp.com/I3bIbUXEdpG8wz2ub8Tk6o