ABSTRACT

This study examines local and national news coverage of hurricane-related flooding, including storm surge and coastal flooding during the weather event and subsequent inland flooding. Understanding the nature of media messaging regarding flooding related to hurricanes is crucial to not only identifying implications for broader social dynamics in an age of accelerating climate change, but also to provide insight for local and national journalists tasked with covering hurricanes. Using the case study of coverage of Hurricane Florence, this analysis assesses how hurricane news coverage may be potentially motivating or demotivating audiences to pursue behaviors such as preparing for hurricanes, evacuating if need be, helping neighbors with fewer resources, and aiding in recovery efforts. We find that news constructions did vary between local and national coverage in terms of threat and efficacy messaging and flood frames, and these changed over time. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for covering hurricanes in an age of accelerating climate change.

摘要

这项研究检查了与飓风有关的洪水的地方和国家新闻报道，包括天气事件期间的风暴潮和沿海洪水以及随后的内陆洪水。了解有关与飓风有关的洪水的媒体信息的性质对于确定气候变化加速时代更广泛的社会动态的影响至关重要，而且对于负责报道飓风的地方和国家记者提供洞察力至关重要。使用佛罗伦萨飓风报道的案例研究，该分析评估了飓风新闻报道如何潜在地激励或抑制观众追求诸如为飓风做准备、必要时撤离、帮助资源较少的邻居以及帮助恢复工作等行为。我们发现，就威胁和有效性信息传递以及洪水框架而言，地方和国家报道之间的新闻结构确实有所不同，并且这些都随着时间而变化。在气候变化加速的时代，研究结果对覆盖飓风的影响进行了讨论。