圖 1：Melissa Block hosts NPR's newsmagazine All ThingsConsidered, public radio's longest-running national program and becameco-host in 2003. Block has reported on many major domestic and internationalevents for NPR News.
圖 2：Andrea Hsu files audio from her laptop computer on the lobbyfloor of the Chengdu Sheration once the all-clear was given, as All Things ConsideredHost Melissa Block and Robert Siegel discuss plans to go out to outlying areaswhere quake damage was greatest.
美國國家公共廣播電台 (NPR)上周預告，兩名記者在5 月中旬將從成都報導，向美國聽眾介紹中國，四川與成都的發展，經濟建設和人民的生活。大概任何人都沒有想到，他們會遇上這場地震。昨天早晨，Melissa Block ， ALL THINGS CONSIDERED 節目欄目的主持人之一，報導了發生在四川的地震消息。一整天， NPR 的網站與新聞節目中，連續追蹤報導四川地震的傷亡情況與各方麵救援的努力。尤其是下午，NPR 播放了她在 Juyuan 中學現場目擊的報導，她的聲音充滿了同情與悲哀，當描述失去孩子的父母的悲痛場麵時，可以聽到她的聲音在顫抖。當時我不得不中斷實驗室的工作，停下來擦眼鏡，當年在唐山地震過程中經曆的感覺一下子湧上來。在NPR 的網站上，幾位聽眾留下了非常感人的信息，被MelissaBlock 的報導所深深地打動，也感謝NPR 的努力。對在異國他鄉發生的自然災害的這種真誠的關注是這樣的感人。
今天早晨，Melissa Block 在NBC 的GOODMORNING AMERICAN 節目中從成都接受電話采訪。當節目主持人重放了那段現場報導錄音，提到她的不尋常的聲音時，她說從未經曆過這樣悲慘的場麵，目睹父母在等待救援者從廢墟中尋找幸存者。作為母親，在現場她能體會那些失去孩子的父母的無比悲痛。
作為一個在異國采訪的記者，能在10 幾個小時內，把這樣的消息從不同的地震災害現場用文字，圖片和錄音報導回來，這不僅是出於一般記者的職責，也是出於對生命的熱愛，珍惜的人道主義，這才是作為新聞媒體的令人尊重之處。前一段，網上常見認為西方媒體充滿對中國的偏見的批評，可以訪問 NPR 的網站，參考一下真正專業的記者是如何從現場采訪報導的，你能看到的是新聞記者對新聞的真實，及時，且帶有感情的報導。相比之下，在國內能有多少次機會見到這樣的現場報導。
說句公道話，與以往發生的嚴重自然災害相比，這次政府采取的措施是大有改進。首先，對於地震的情報和災情報導的及時，尤其是對於傷亡人數，在很短的時間內做連續報導，讓人們了解到災害的嚴重性，對救援的組織情況也基本是公開的，這才能使人民有信心相信，政府在盡一切可能挽救生命，減少損失。唯願搶救工作能順利進行，災區的人民能夠盡快恢複。
Melissa Block 在Juyuan 中學現場目擊的報導：
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90366623
A Horrific Scene at a Middle School in Dujiangyan
NPR 報導的連接：
http://www.npr.org/blogs/chengdu/2008/05/a_horrific_scene_at_a_middle_s.html
We are just leaving the horrific scene at the Juyuan Middle Schooloutside the city of Dujiangyan.Hundreds of parents are still standing in the rain as the army works to findchildren trapped in the rubble. One parent told us she could hear her soncalling. A scene of utter desperation. Back a couple hundred feet was an areawhere rescuers -- peoples armed police -- were bringing bodies that had beenretrieved. Families were rushing over to see whether the child was theirs.Under tents are families burning incense and candles and paper money next tothe shrouded bodies of their loved ones. A terrible, terrible scene.
-- Andrea Hsu
1:44 PM ET | 05-12-2008 | permalink
Comments (Send a comment)
I read on some Chinese Internet about Juyuan Middle School. My heart goes out for all those kidsthere. I can't imagine how those parents were feeling right now. My pray goesto all those lives lost in this tragic incident. I hope more people be rescuedand the death toll stop climbing.
I was able to talk with my mom on the phone againaround 11 pm Chengdutime. She felt many aftershocks, and according to TV news report there, two ofthem were over 6.0, while six of them were between 5.0 and 5.9.
Fortunately, Chengduis mostly OK according to my mom, and it is partly due to the fact that manybuildings were built to withstand some degree of earthquake impact. However,for safety reason my parents are staying in a four floor hotel in suburban areaand plan to go home tomorrow.
One thing my mom told me that really touches me is thatlots of people volunteered to donate blood to support the rescue work, here isa link with photos of people donating blood and it said there were five to sixplaces set up in Chengdu city for people to donate blood:
http://www.6park.com/news/messages/81570.html
I just hope I can do something to help the rescuework. For mow I will donate money to the red cross in China, here isthe link: http://www.redcross.org.cn/
Thank you Andrea, Robert, and Malissa and all NPRcrew there for your reports. Please do take care!
Sent by yang | 2:10 PM ET | 05-12-2008
So sorry you have to witness the aftermath of thisdisaster. I wish there were anything I could do to ease their pain for the lossof loved ones, especially those who lost their children. God bless, and I am atruly believer that " to live is to suffer." I hope people affectedby this tragedy will heal soon and move on.
Sent by Matthew | 2:30 PM ET | 05-12-2008
This brought back the memory of those terrible scenesI witnessed during Tangshanearthquake in 1976. The whole downtown area was leveled, no building standing,hundreds of thousands of people died. Just wish God bless everyone in Sichuan area safe.
Sent by Peter, OH | 4:34 PM ET | 05-12-2008
I was just listening to Melissa Block recount what shesaw at the school, her voice breaking. I had to pull over as the tears camedown my face. My heart breaks for those parents, and it aches for the teamthere covering it. I pray for thier safety and strenght during what must be ahorrible time.
Sent by Annie | 4:56 PM ET | 05-12-2008
I just heard Melissa Block's report on the parentsidentifying their child's body at the scene of the middle school in Sichuan Province. I would like to to say thatwas the finest piece of reporting I have heard in years. Ms. Block made me feellike I was their, with the grieving parents. It was better than a picture couldhave done. All I can say this report is why I listen to NPR.
Sent by Dr. David Wachtel | 4:56 PM ET | 05-12-2008
I wept as I listened toMelissa Block's report. My heart broke for the parents of those kids. Thanksfor this excellent piece of journalism.
Sent by Beverly Peng | 5:44 PM ET | 05-12-2008
Melissa Block's report of the earthquake's effect onthe middle school in Juyuan was one of the most evocative radio pieces I haveever heard ~ thank you for such outstanding journalism...
Sent by martin johnsen | 6:17 PM ET | 05-12-2008
I am in tears as I write this note.Disasters happenalmost daily somewhere in the world, it is so easy to just accept it-because itis not personal.Melissa Blocks report was so touching. She made it personal.
Sent by Todd Barneck | 6:28 PM ET | 05-12-2008
Melissa Block's first handreport on the devastation and personal loss at the Juyuan Middle Schoolwas one of the finest examples of broadcast journalism that I have heard inover 25 years of listening to NPR. You could hear the barely controlled emotionin her voice as she conveyed the unimaginable grief of the parents who lostchildren in this disaster. Congratulations to Melissa and her on-the-groundteam.
Melissa Block, NPR Biography (brief)
Block has reported on many major domestic and international events for NPRNews. While based in New York,she covered police brutality and terrorism trials. Her reporting duringSeptember 11 was part of coverage that earned NPR News a George Foster PeabodyAward. Reporting from Kosovo in 1999, Block's investigation into rape as aweapon of war was cited among stories for which NPR News won an Overseas PressClub Award.
Block graduated from Harvard University in 1983 with a degree in French historyand literature, and spent the following year as a Fulbright scholar at the University of Geneva. She is married to WallStreet Journal reporter, author, and NPR contributor Stefan Fatsis. Theyhave a daughter and live in Washington, D.C.
Http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=2100245
yisi.yisi@gmail.com