On March the 11th millions of people, all over the world, tried to follow the event in real time and Japanese citizens shared their experience also in real time. Citizens sought information to find their loved ones and shared the latest news. New technologies played a very important logistic role and the intense use of social media complemented the information provided by traditional media.

The Great East Japan Earthquake is a paradigmatic case that proves how new IT tools are a powerful resource in emergency situations. The new ways of data visualization, the new active role of citizenship in communication processes or the used authorities’ protocols will be some topics of the conference. Through personal stories, journalists and social experts will explain the usefulness of new technologies in the global context and the challenges and improvements that this new way of communication opens among different social actors: citizens, media, local authorities, government and institutions.

One year after the triple crisis of Tohoku, Casa Asia next Thursday 8th of March 2012 at its headquarters in Barcelona will bring together experts and professionals of the field of journalism, new information technologies and sociology with the purpose to discuss the role of the media, the media coverage and the social use of IT in crisis situations, and specifically the Japanese case.

These sessions are addressed to journalists and sociology and IT professionals. Prior registration is required..

Programme of the symposium

8th of March 2012

Casa Asia Headquarters
Tagore Auditorium
Av. Diagonal, 373
Barcelona

09.40 h

Introductory Session

The Japanese civil society before the triple crisis: lessons, challenges and innovation

Is the Japanese society prepared to face emergency situations in comparison to other societies? Has this crisis been different with respect to the previous due to new technologies? One year later, which has been the impact of the disaster of the 11th of March on a social, political and economic level in Japan?

Speakers:

Yoshio Sugimoto, Emeritus Professor, School of Social Sciences, La Trobe University, Australia.
Wataru Sawamura, European Editor of Asahi Shinbun, United Kingdom.
Takashi Kubota, Vice Mayor of Rikuzentakata City

Moderated by:
Joaquín Luna, Foreign Desk Editor-In-Chief La Vanguardia, Spain.

Keypoints:
# The Japanese society before, during and after the triple crisis # Japan, a prepared country # Tsunami: a recurrent tragedy in the Japanese history # Debate on the energetic policy # Reaction of the civil society # Economic effects # Lessons learnt by the society #

11.30 am

Second Session

Journalism in crisis situations: the media and new journalism

What was the impact of the information generated by spontaneous social actors? How reliable are information sources in social media? Which are the new tools available in traditional media, either Western or Eastern? How can journalism ethics be applied before sensationalism?

Speakers:

Aiko Doden, NHK Journalist, Japan.
Tomoko A. Hosaka, Journalist, Knight Fellowship affiliate, Former Associated Press correspondent, Japan.
Sree Sreenivasan, Journalist and Dean of Student Affairs, Columbia Journalism School, USA
David Jiménez, Correspondent for the newspaper "El Mundo" in Asia

Moderated by:
Sergi Vicente,, TV3 correspondent to Beijing, Spain.

Keypoints:
# To inform in crisis situations: journalism ethics # Social media as information sources # New journalism and traditional journalism # Journalism as a social actor: to help in crisis situations # Nuclear crisis: energetic sector, sensationalism, environmentalism and opinion # Data visualization: new journalism? # To inform from Japan and abroad # Citizen journalism

3.30 pm

Third session

The social use of information and communication technologies

How new technologies can most effectively support each other and improve resilience among networks in disaster scenarios like that of 11 March? How can social media help citizens and humanitarian organizations on the ground after a natural disaster?

Speakers:

Takemura Shinichi, Social Media Designer, Professor at Kyoto University of Art and Design, Japan.
Brad Ellis, product manager for YouTube, Google Japan.
Naoya Bessho, General Manager of the Chief Compliance Office, Legal Office, Yahoo Japan.
James Kondo, Director of Twitter Japan.
Takeo Saijo, creator of the “Project Fumbaro Eastern Japan”.

Moderated by:
Mònica Garriga, Director of media140, Spain.

Keypoints:
# The use of IT in crisis situations # IT for NGOs and humanitarian aid # Adaptation of new technologies to social use # Design, construction and usability: user friendly technologies # Social media and communication # Interactive technology: information design