Society News Archive

The report SAFETY Guidelines for Journalists: Radiation Incidents, resulting from a 2016 workshop, is available on the Stanley Foundation website. The workshop for international journalists was held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, was funded by the Stanley Foundation, and was supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Atomic Reporters in an effort to increase the understanding of radiation incidents and how to better report on this technical topic. There were many subject-matter experts at the workshop, along with many IAEA and European experts. The workshop was well represented with the lead European, U.S., and Middle Eastern journalists (BBC, NPR, CNN, Business Today, Arms Control, Al-Jazeera, etc.) who routinely cover radiation-related topics. The resulting report of the workshop will be of special interest to journalists due to the included infographics.

The report's guidelines provide basic safety information for the protection of journalists that can be conveyed to the public to limit the risk of radiation exposure. The guide will be translated into language versions for international use. Carolyn Mac Kenzie, its author, is a recognized radiation protection specialist. Feedback on the guide was received from specialists in the fields of health physics, emergency response, and journalism. The Stanley Foundation and Atomic Reporters encourage use of this report for educational purposes. Any part of the material may be duplicated with proper acknowledgment.