1. Teaching about Risk and Resilience: Communication strategies after a disaster
Bruno Takahashi, Ph.D.
School of Journalism and
Department of Communication
Michigan State University

2. Key concepts Risk communication Crisis communication Public relations
Media reporting of crisis, risk and resilience
Role of social media

4. Communication about different types of risks
Type of disaster
Developing nations

5. Multidisciplinary perspective in risk communication
Decision sciences
Social psychology (psychometric approach)
Behavioral economics
Communication science
Environmental studies
Etc.

6. Risk = Probability x Consequence
Risk communication
What is it? (Covello, 1992; DHHS, 2002)
The exchange of information among interested parties about the nature, magnitude, significance, and control of risks.
What do we mean by “risk” in PR? (… different from “uncertainty”?
Risk = Probability x Consequence

7. Theoretical approaches
Mental models approach
Social constructionist approach
Hazards plus outrage approach
Social amplification of risk
Extended parallel process model
Etc.

8. Some goals of risk communication
Share information
Change beliefs
Change risk perceptions
Change behaviors

9. Key areas related to RISK COMMUNICATION
Perception (Severity and susceptibility)
Assessment
Messaging
Decision Making
Planning/Management
Media response to crisis/risk
RISK

10. Optimistic bias?
Familiarity and Dread?

11. Optimistic bias, fear appeals, gain/loss framing, etc.
Risk messaging
Designing information to effectively communicate about risks
Content of messages (statistical/narrative, framing, etc)
Types of appeals
Sources, Channels
Information Seeking, Literacy
Theoretical approaches and message design
EPPM, Prospect Theory and others
Optimistic bias, fear appeals, gain/loss framing, etc.

12. What do we mean by “crisis” in PR?
Substantial threat to an organization?

13. (Pre-Crisis Planning)
Crisis Communication Plans
Before
(Pre-Crisis Planning)
During
(Crisis Management)
After
(Recovery and Review)
What can you do ahead of time?
Identify threats
Identify audiences/stakeholders for threats
Develop messages for each threat
Conduct training for spokespeople
Ensure access to critical resources

14. Role of the media Journalists and PR
Journalistic norms? (Impact, Relevance, Timeliness, Uniqueness, Prominence, Visual Convenient)
Journalists and PR
How does risk and resilience fit within traditional news values?
How to communicate risk to journalists?
Studies of the content of mediated reporting of risk events
Nature of the content
Type of information
Accuracy of information etc.
Relationship between media and organization/stakeholder groups
How to report, work with the media, case studies of reporting

15. Role of social media
The audience has evolved, it is no longer a passive receiver of information.
How is social media used in crisis situations?
From an organizational perspective
From the audience’s perspective
Social media use to memorialize victims, for collective coping, emergency requests, dissemination of information, etc.
Twitter alerts

16. Visual representations of risk

17. Risk communication best practices
Risk com is an ongoing process.
Conduct pre-event planning.
Foster partnerships with the public.
Coordinate and collaborate with credible sources.
Meet the needs of the media and remain accessible.
Listen to the public’s concerns and understand the audience.
Communication with compassion, concern, and empathy.
Demonstrate honesty, candor and openness.
Accept uncertainty and ambiguity.
Provide messages that foster self-efficacy.

18. Challenges in risk communication
Limitations of sources/spokes-people
Limitations in available data/message
Limitations of media
Limitations of receivers