Blog Functions as Risk and Crisis Communication During Hurricane Katrina

TLDR

Blogs during Hurricane Katrina performed four major functions—communication, political, information, and helping—by filtering and linking rescue needs, missing persons, assistance, community building, and damage and government response information. The study examined blogs in the two weeks after Hurricane Katrina to understand the risk and crisis communication functions they served. The authors analyzed blogs posted during that period. The analysis revealed that bloggers performed a thinker function by expressing opinions on government response, an additional emotive/therapeutic function, and several functions that helped maintain community during crisis.

Abstract

Blogs were examined during the 2 weeks after Hurricane Katrina hit the U.S. city of New Orleans to better understand what risk and crisis communication functions they served. The 4 major functions—communication, political, information, and helping—included both filtering and linking about rescue needs and efforts, missing persons, ways to offer and find assistance, fostering community, and providing information on damage and government response. A thinker function was fulfilled where bloggers expressed opinions, especially on government response. An additional function not previously delineated was identified, which might be termed emotive or therapeutic. In addition, several of the blog functions indicate the role the Internet plays in maintaining a sense of community in times of crisis.