Program Type

Graduate

Faculty Advisor

Rejina Manandhar

Document Type

Poster

Location

Face-to-face

Start Date

18-4-2024 4:00 PM

Abstract

This study examines the social media risk communication activities of public organizations during the March 2023 Arkansas Tornadoes. The research question for this study is “what information was communicated to the public during the March 2023 Arkansas Tornadoes?” The data for the study was collected by reviewing the Facebook posts of 22 public organizations for a seven-day period (March 30 -April 5, 2023). The data thus collected was analyzed by using qualitative content analysis approach. The findings suggest that most of the organizations only communicated to the public after the tornadoes. The message content disseminated before and during the tornado included information on hazard, guidance, location, and source. Contrary to this, the post-disaster messages focused on hazard impact, advisory, infrastructure status, assistance, and resilience. The findings further indicate seven types of message style: imperative, declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, empathetic, signifier, and emphasis. This research will discuss these findings and provide recommendations for effective risk communication when using social media platforms.

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Apr 18th, 4:00 PM

Social Media Risk Messaging during the March 2023 Arkansas Tornadoes: A Qualitative Approach

Face-to-face

This study examines the social media risk communication activities of public organizations during the March 2023 Arkansas Tornadoes. The research question for this study is “what information was communicated to the public during the March 2023 Arkansas Tornadoes?” The data for the study was collected by reviewing the Facebook posts of 22 public organizations for a seven-day period (March 30 -April 5, 2023). The data thus collected was analyzed by using qualitative content analysis approach. The findings suggest that most of the organizations only communicated to the public after the tornadoes. The message content disseminated before and during the tornado included information on hazard, guidance, location, and source. Contrary to this, the post-disaster messages focused on hazard impact, advisory, infrastructure status, assistance, and resilience. The findings further indicate seven types of message style: imperative, declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, empathetic, signifier, and emphasis. This research will discuss these findings and provide recommendations for effective risk communication when using social media platforms.