88th Annual Meeting (20-24 January 2008)

Wednesday, 23 January 2008
The whirling media coverage of seasonal hurricane forecasts: A closer look at media framing of scientific uncertainty and preparedness
Exhibit Hall B (Ernest N. Morial Convention Center)
Gina M. Eosco, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY
This study examines media coverage of seasonal hurricane forecasts for the Atlantic basin in American, Canadian, and British newspapers from April through November of 2006. The study explores how the different channels framed scientific uncertainty and hurricane preparedness, and how this may or may not translate into public understanding of scientific uncertainty and preparedness. Additionally, the paper examines how frames from the forecast institution compare to the frames used in the media. With the destruction from the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons, as well as possible climate change effects on hurricane strength and intensity, communicating a philosophy of preparedness has never been so important. This paper demonstrates that the media can play a large role in cultivating a culture where hazard preparedness is a social philosophy.

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