What “Emergency Sources” Expect From Journalists: Applying the Hierarchy of Influences Model to Disaster News Coverage

Authors

  • Daniela Grassau Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
  • Sebastián Valenzuela Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
  • Soledad Puente Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Keywords:

authorities, communication, disasters, experts, journalism, sources

Abstract

This study analyzes what “emergency sources” (authorities, emergency managers, and experts) expect from journalists during a disaster, using a mixed-method approach with six focus groups and a survey of 166 official Chilean sources. Based on the first three levels of the hierarchy of influences model, we explore how they perceive journalists’ roles and performance when covering disasters. The results suggest that emergency sources’ evaluations, while affected by a combination of individual, routine, and organizational variables, are mostly shaped by sources’ direct and mediated experience with journalists. Thus, a more fluid relationship between journalists and emergency sources, as well as more communication experience by sources, could lead to a better understanding between both groups, which, ultimately, may lead to delivering more accurate and timely information.

Author Biographies

Daniela Grassau, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Assistant professorhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7846-8322 

Sebastián Valenzuela, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Associate professorhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5991-7364http://www.scopus.com/inward/authorDetails.url?authorID=26325116700&partnerID=MN8TOARS

Soledad Puente, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Professorhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6288-883X

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Published

2021-02-20

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Section

Articles