INTRODUCTIONThere is no doubt that the media has a profound impact on our awareness of humanitarian emergencies and disaster relief around the world. The reality of these disasters and our responses to them are heavily influenced by the framing that the media uses – through its exposure on television, radio and print – to capture our attention. The media has a number of important responsibilities during a natural disaster. . I divided their responsibilities into four stages: early warning, immediate response, post-disaster review and implementation. Although these phases do not necessarily follow one another without overlapping, they provide a good basis for explaining the different roles of the media throughout the disaster relief effort. First of all, in what I like to call “early warning”. During this phase, the media serves as a link between disaster response units and authorities, with the victims of an impending disaster. Their role here is to alert victims of impending disaster and distribute disaster response advice. After the disaster, the next phase is the “immediate response”. The main objective of the media here is to help the victims of the disaster. The immediate response phase has two stages: the crisis point, where victims need immediate access to basic necessities; and the reconstruction phase, where victims' basic needs are met but there is an ongoing need for donations – more generally in terms of goods and services – to help victims rebuild their lives. By reporting dramatic and emotional stories, the media connects local and international NGOs with the public and compels them to make donations. In the “post-disaster review” phase, media attention shifts away from aid and toward aid. .... middle of document ...... implementation of new procedures and policies regarding disaster awareness and response plans. The media works with NGOs to generate donations and help victims. This encouraged discussions about what went wrong and how to improve next time. Additionally, it puts pressure on authorities to implement these changes to ensure the risk of future disasters is reduced. It is true that without the media, successful disaster management would not be possible. When media, government authorities, technology providers, UN agencies, international and national NGOs and local communities work closely to inform and educate the public with accurate information, then early warning systems , disaster prevention methods and relief programs will be much more consistent. . The role of the media in humanitarian emergencies and disaster relief is therefore paramount..