The Black Saturday bushfires: How the media covered Australia's worst peace-time disaster

• Centre for Advanced Journalism

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19 November 2009The February 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria was Australia's worst peace-time disaster that left 173 people dead, more than 414 injured, over 1700 homes destroyed and an estimated 7000 people homeless.

Coverage of Black Saturday was extensive and in many ways comprehensive. The journalists, photographers and television crews involved in the coverage faced major challenges in doing their work and were deeply affected by what they witnessed. They were faced with ethical questions, logistical problems and fundamental questions about how to cover a natural disaster so close to home.

The Centre has undertaken a significant research project aimed at exploring the experience of journalists, editors and news directors reporting on the Black Saturday fires. The goal of the research was to  allow those involved in covering the fires to reflect on their experiences, the quality of the coverage, the pressures they faced, and any lessons they learned for future coverage of major disasters.

Initial findings of the research will be presented at a special event on November 19 for where panels of journalists will discuss the research findings with journalists and representatives of key emergency services involved in the Black Saturday bushfires.