Faculty of Communication and Media Studies academic, Associate Professor Dr Saraswathy Chinnasamyof Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) has joined the Global Risk Journalism Hub (GRJH).
Fondly known as Dr Sara, she is currently attached to the School of Media and Communication as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow and is working closely with Prof. Ingrid Volkmer. The latter is the Head of the Media and Communications Program at the University of Melbourne, Australia, and Director of The Global Risk Journalism Hub (GRJH).
The Global Risk Journalism Hub (GRJH) brings together 65 researchers, educators and practitioners from 30 countries worldwide to investigate news reporting globalized crises issues. It aims to inspire collaborative projects transcending national boundaries, opening up new spaces for dialogue and debate regarding how best to improve the quality of journalism in the public interest within today’s dimensions of globalized digital data ecosystems.
This project looks at the engagement of journalists from across continents with digital spheres in times of crisis, especially during the COVID 19 pandemic. The project also addresses the challenges and globalized ‘risks’, namely health pandemics, environmental crises, humanitarian conflicts, and issues such as fake news circulation and financial constraints during the crisis and safety issues faced by journalists.
Dr Sara is one of the Executive Committee Members and the Regional Lead for the South Asia region for The Global Risk Journalism Hub (GRJH). She is currently working on the Global Risk Journalism Research Project, which endeavours to document the risks and challenges confronted by journalists during the crisis health pandemic Covid 19.
She will be participating in the prestigious International Communication Association conference, the 71st Annual International Communication Association Conference, held virtually on 27-31 May 2021 as one of the panel members discussing “Information Disorder in South and Southeast Asia: Challenges Ahead”.