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Disaster communication on the internet: a focus on mobilizing information
Andrea Tanner1, Daniela B Friedman, Alexis Koskan
1School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA.
Journal of Health Communication
|December 24, 2009
Summary
Local TV websites provide emergency information, but mobilizing information (MI) is scarce. Future research should focus on increasing MI in disaster news for better public response.
Area of Science:
- Media and Communication Studies
- Disaster Management
- Public Health Communication
Background:
- Local television news is a primary news source, with many also using the internet.
- Accurate information and clear instructions are crucial for public response during disasters.
- Assessing emergency information on local TV websites is vital for effective disaster communication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the volume and scope of emergency information on local television news websites.
- To explore the presence and types of mobilizing information (MI) in emergency news stories.
- To identify patterns in MI dissemination based on disaster type, content source, and geographic region.
Main Methods:
- Content analysis of 293 emergency-related stories from 119 local television news websites.
- Categorization of stories by disaster type (e.g., natural disasters, pandemics).
- Identification and classification of mobilizing information (identificational, locational, tactical MI).
Main Results:
- Emergency information was found on 96% of websites examined.
- Natural disasters were the most common topic (52%), often discussing multiple events.
- Mobilizing information (MI) was present in 44% of stories, with identificational MI being most common.
- Significant regional differences in MI types and higher MI presence in wire/syndicated stories were observed.
Conclusions:
- Local TV websites are a significant platform for emergency information dissemination.
- The limited presence of mobilizing information (MI) may hinder effective public response.
- Further research is needed to enhance the inclusion of MI in general health and emergency news content.
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