Justin E. Ross
Reference: Fontenot, M., Boyle, K., & Gallagher, A. (2008). Information Subsidies and Disaster Coverage: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Press Releases and Newspaper Coverage of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Conference Papers -- International Communication Association, 1-25.
Theme: During large scale disaster very few of the government's press releases actually become stories that the press runs.
Summary:
- · Disasters have an adverse impact on the relationship between PIOs and the media.
- · When disasters strike the press starts to look to almost any source they can find for a story, other than the government.
- · If it is a prolonged event, that has a long enough lead-time before the event occurs, the media will use government press releases as a source of information.
- · Pre-event the media will sometimes use the actual press release as an article rather than writing their own story.
- · If working for a non-profit, such as the Red Cross, news outlets are more likely to run an article from a press release generated from those types of organizations.
- · The media will use high ranking officials press conferences as stories, so it is important to get the officials on board with the messaging you want to get out there.
Application to the lesson topic:
This article really informs the reader about how the press views press releases from governmental agencies.
Application to emergency services:
I found this article very interesting, and I will use the information continually. Now that I know the media will be turning to the "people on the street" for storylines rather than the government press release I will be developing ways to get my messaging out through other channels, so that the chance of that Person on the Street disseminating the message I want will increase.
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