Media Uses in Disaster Situations

A New Focus on the Impact Phase

Bibliographic Data

ID2274686
AuthorsMarla Perez‐lugo (University of Puerto Rico System, corresponding author)
Year2004
Volume74
Issue2
Pages210-225
Publication date2004-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSociological Inquiry (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0038-0245 • E-ISSN: 1475-682X
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1475-682x.2004.00087.x
OpenAlexW2055121422
LanguageEN
Citations received43
References cited9

The media, in the sociology of natural disasters, are mainly viewed as management tools used to influence people's preparedness and response to natural disasters. As a consequence, research in this area has been limited to the warning, preparedness, and recovery phases. Through interviews with residents of eight communities in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, impacted by Hurricane Georges in 1998, this paper shows that through integrating mass communication research to disaster theory we can obtain a more accurate picture of the media-audience relationship during natural disasters. In addition to the manifest functions of providing information, the media also have latent functions in disasters, which consist of emotional support and companionship. The media also help isolated individuals to feel connected with the 'outside world.' These functions are most salient in the impact phase of disasters. These functions are also particularly crucial as they have been shown to reduce the negative effects of stressful life events

Advertising · Business · Emergency management · Focus (optics) · Geography · Mass media · Natural (archaeology) · Natural disaster · Phase (matter) · Political science · Preparedness · Public relations · Salient · Sociology · Computer Science · Disaster Management and Resilience · Media Influence and Health · Psychology · Public Relations and Crisis Communication

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