Traditional Media In Risk Communication: Analysis of Newspaper News On The Sample Of Earthquake Disasters

Abstract

The media, which plays an important role in shaping citizens' knowledge of natural disasters and perceptions of risk, is an integral part of risk and disaster management. Risk communication activities carried out through the media concerning earthquakes, -which are one of the highest risk factors that Turkey is exposed to- determine the nature of important social and communicative processes. The fact that the news media is among the main sources of reference for risk information requires an investigation of the media as a means of risk communication. Based on this perspective, in this study content analysis was applied to Istanbul and Izmir earthquake news through the sample of Sabah, Hürriyet, Sözcü, Posta, Milliyet and Türkiye newspapers with the highest circulation based on the data of the Basın İlan Kurumu (Press Advertising Agency) (2021). Within the scope of the study, qualitative research was carried out between the time period when the earthquake was not on the country's agenda and the periods when the disaster occurred and took an important place on the agenda. The study found out that, the media directed almost all of its attention to the earthquake only after the occurrence of it. In addition, the actors who gave explanations and information about the earthquake varied according to the social effects of the earthquake. In the context of risk management, it has been also concluded that the forms of news about earthquakes have similar frameworks.