The Mediated Amplification of a Crisis: Communicating A/H1N1 in European Press Releases and Press Coverage

• In Event: Risk Communication and Health

Abstract

This study investigates the flow of A/H1N1-related information from press releases to press coverage in Europe. We integrated the social amplification of risk framework with theories of news decisions in an attempt to contribute to existing research both theoretically and empirically. Consistent with research on news values and framing the results of the quantitative content analysis suggest that quality and tabloid papers alike amplified A/H1N1 risks by emphasizing conflict and damage, presenting information in a more dramatized way, and using risk-amplifying frames to a greater extent and risk-attenuating frames to a lesser extent than press releases.

Authors

• Constanze Rossmann, University of Erfurt

• Lisa Meyer, LMU Munich

• Peter J. Schulz, U della Svizzera italian