How Audiences Seek Out Crisis Information: Exploring the Social-Mediated Crisis Communication Model

TLDR

The study investigates how audiences seek crisis information from social and traditional media and the factors influencing their media use. The study finds that audiences use social media for insider information and social connection, and traditional media for education; use is driven by convenience, involvement, and personal recommendations, but discouraged by information overload, humor, and negative attitudes toward social media, while credibility promotes traditional media use, highlighting the importance of third‑party influence and the need to employ both media types in crisis communication.

Abstract

This study explores how audiences seek information from social and traditional media, and what factors affect media use during crises. Using the social-mediated crisis communication (SMCC) model, an examination of crisis information and sources reveals that audiences use social media during crises for insider information and checking in with family/friends and use traditional media for educational purposes. Convenience, involvement, and personal recommendations encourage social and traditional media use; information overload discourages use of both. Humor and attitudes about the purpose of social media discourage use of social media, while credibility encourages traditional media use. Practically, findings stressed the importance of third-party influence in crisis communication and the need for using both traditional and social media in crisis response.