This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 1075547008316219v1 29/4/472    most recent References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Ungar, S. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Global Bird Flu Communication

Hot Crisis and Media Reassurance

University of Toronto at Scarborough, Canada, ungar{at}utsc.utoronto.ca

Drawing predominately on a once-a-day Google News Alert for newspaper coverage of the "bird flu," this study examines global discourses on this topic in terms of alarming and reassuring coverage. Three stages of discourse are identified. The first is termed sounding the alarm, where fearful claims making predominates. The second is mixed messages, and involves a continuation of the threat with efforts to moderate it with elements of reassurance, including scientific promises and national plans to combat bird flu. The third stage is hot crisis and containment, and involves efforts to undo the most frightful elements of the avian mutation interpretative package as the H5N1 virus spreads into Europe.

Key Words: bird flu • hot crisis • interpretive packages • media • moderation effects • risk

This version was published on June 1, 2008

Science Communication, Vol. 29, No. 4, 472-497 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1075547008316219


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?