At 5:55 pm on August 4, 2020, in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, there was a massive chemical explosion at a warehouse containing thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate. The blast caused an uncontrolled fire, instantly killing 220 people and injuring 6,500 more, many of whom suffered life-threatening injuries. The blast also left 300,000 people homeless and 160,000 people without access to healthcare due to damage to nine hospitals in the capital.
Shortly after the blast, journalists from all over the world began telling the story. Beirut was a familiar home to many of these journalists, who had used the city as a base to report on the Middle East.
For example, pictured (below) on the front page of the Guardian, one of the UK’s most widely read newspapers, were heartbreaking, fiery photos of the explosion and its impact on the surrounding community.
In the United States, photographs of the blast’s victims were published by media outlets all over the country. For example, the New York Times published a story in which readers could view a simulation of the explosion. As a result of citizens all over Europe and the United States learning about the implications of the blast, Beirut received a great deal of foreign money. This foreign money was extremely helpful in rebuilding homes, schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure, and it proved to be more than enough.
The war in Ukraine is a similar example of the media rallying support for the residents by showing their savage mistreatment at the hands of the Russians. When you turn on the television, you will instantly be shown photographs of homeless children and orphans, with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his army to blame for their situation.
The U.S has sent a total of 2 billion dollars in Emergency Aid since the start of Biden’s presidency. Countless organizations, such as Unicef, Sunflower of Peace, and CARE, also attempt to get Ukraine the support it needs. By contrast, Ethiopia and Yemen, both far less wealthy countries engaged in bloody civil wars, have not received the same media attention. Because of this lack of media attention, they have not received even close to the same amount of Emergency Aid from foreign countries. As a result, there have been countless unnecessary deaths and untold suffering.
Martin Scott, a senior lecturer in media and international development at the University of East Anglia, surveyed senior government officials of the 16 countries that donate the greatest humanitarian aid. The study demonstrated that governments are more likely to send emergency aid with increased media attention. Scott says that media coverage pressures countries into sending emergency aid. Because of this, the aid can be expected to dwindle, just as it did in Beirut, as it receives less attention from the media.
Because the media can have such an outsized impact on swaying countries and international organizations to give money where needed, the media should make every effort to publicize humanitarian crises no matter where they are. While this work can be dangerous, it will save lives and ease suffering for the world’s most vulnerable people.
