Investor Presentaiton
4.2.3. Postmortem Analysis: Mass Communication
Poorly trained Public Information Officers (PIOs)
Inaccurate and Unclear Information Led Only to
Uncontrollable Confusion and Unallayed Suspicion
Slide No. 31
The Importance of Recognition of Strengths and Weaknesses of the Mass Media
1. The mass media play a dominant role at almost all levels of
communication on nuclear emergency issues (cf. Tanja Perko et al., “Media Reporting of
Nuclear Emergencies: The Effect of Transparent Communication in a Minor Nuclear Event,” Journal of Contingencies
and Crisis Management Vol. 20, No. 1 (March 2012), pp. 52-63; IAEA, “Manual for First Responders to a Radiological
Emergency," in Emergency Preparedness and Response, 2006, pp. 1-86).
2. Nuclear events predictably induce enormous media coverage.
3. No one can control over the mass media's information distribution because of
freedom of the press.
4. The mass media can have enormous audiences, but they have several limits-
(a) Even huge audiences represent only about 10% of the population and the audiences.
(b) Those large media audiences are often specific segments of the public. Public Information Officers
(PIOs) must understand local media and local media audiences.
(c) The mass media, especially network media, tend to paint a broad picture. Media statements may be
sufficient for a general news audience but they do little to inform persons in a specific community
whether they should evacuate at the time of emergency.
(d) Some media do not carry news reports even in a community struck by disaster because of their news-
value judgments. (cf. Joseph Scanlon, “Unwelcome Irritant or Useful Ally? The Mass Media in Emergencies,”
in Handbook of Disaster Research, edited by Havidán Rodríguez, Enrico L. Quarantelli and Russell R. Dynes, New
York: Springer, 2007).
Jun KURIHARA, Canon Institute for Global Studies (CIGS)View entire presentation