“When Every Second Counts: The Role of Journalists During Crisis Situations,” a panel discussion organized by the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) will bring together four newsroom leaders to delve into practical realities of covering crises.
The conversation will take place on 30 January 2026 from 9.00 am to 11.45 am at the Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI), Colombo, and collectively reflect on journalism’s critical role when timely and accurate information can protect communities.
Moderated by Hana Ibrahim, Editor-in-Chief of the Daily / Weekend Express, the panel brings together Niresh Eliatamby, Consultant Director News at News 1st; Gagani Weerakoon, Associate Editor at Ceylon Today; and Rajneesh Bhandari, Founder and Chief Editor of the Nepal Investigative Multimedia Journalism Network (NIMJN), whose collective experience spans national and regional media landscapes.
The panel will explore the role of journalists in keeping communities informed with urgency and impact, the challenges of getting stories right amid uncertainty, the influence of journalism on public behaviour and misinformation, ethical dilemmas in reporting without inflaming fear, responsibility for crisis narratives and communication failures, and the emotional and mental health toll on journalists who bear witness to disasters.
