Today’s Talk
Providing Informationor Spreading Panic?
Media Responses to Fukushima
Dr Philip Seaton,
Associate Professor,
Research Faculty of Media and Communication,
Hokkaido University

1Today’s Talk

2

Today’s Talk

• Aims• Aims• Nature of the Media

2Today’s Talk

2

Today’s Talk

• Aims• Nature of the Media• Media Attention Spans• Aims• Nature of the Media• Media Attention Spans• Media Focus

22

Today’s Talk

Today’s Talk

• Aims• Nature of the Media• Media Attention Spans• Media Focus• Media Messages• Aims• Nature of the Media• Media Attention Spans• Media Focus• Media Messages• The Crisis as “Story” and “Situation”
2

The Media: An Overview

2The Media: An Overview• News as a commodity: produced and consumed.

3

3

The Media: An Overview

The Media: An Overview• News as a commodity: produced and consumed.
• Diversity of media business models.

• News as a commodity: produced and consumed.
• Diversity of media business models.
• What is news? Confrontation, controversy, theextraordinary, criminal and tragic.

33

The Media: An Overview

The Media: An Overview• News as a commodity: produced and consumed.
• Diversity of media business models.
• What is news? Confrontation, controversy, the• News as a commodity: produced and consumed.
• Diversity of media business models.
• What is news? Confrontation, controversy, the“If it bleeds it leads”“If it bleeds it leads”

extraordinary, criminal and tragic..

extraordinary, criminal and tragic.

Fear

3

3

The Media: An Overview

The Media: An Overview• News as a commodity: produced and consumed.
• Diversity of media business models.
• What is news? Confrontation, controversy, the• News as a commodity: produced and consumed.
• Diversity of media business models.
• What is news? Confrontation, controversy, thec.
extraordinary, criminal and tragic.

“If it bleeds it leads”• Playing to the target audience.

extraordinary, criminal and tragic..

Fear“If it bleeds it leads”

Fear• Playing to the target audience.
• News is information that can be obtained.
3The Media: An Overview

3

Media Attention Spans• News as a commodity: produced and consumed.
• Diversity of media business models.
• What is news? Confrontation, controversy, theInternational MediaJapanese Mediac.
extraordinary, criminal and tragic.

“If it bleeds it leads”

Fear• Playing to the target audience.
• News is information that can be obtained.
• The importance of news is relative, not absolute.
34

International MediaDisasterMedia Attention Spans

Japanese MediaInternational MediaDisasterVery High Coverage

UnfoldingDisasterMedia Attention Spans

Japanese Media
Blanket Coverage

4

Very High Coverage

Blanket Coverage

Very High Coverage

Other news returns
to public attention

Attention tails
off quickly
Occasionalremembrance

Japanese Media

UnfoldingDisasterDisasterBlanket Coverage

Stabilization

International Media

Other news returns
to public attention

RecoveryDisaster

Attention tails
off quickly

Japanese Media

UnfoldingDisasterInternational MediaMedia Attention Spans

Stabilization

Media Attention Spans

4Anxious to be seen
to be not forgetting

44

Media Focus
International MediaDisasterMedia Focus

Japanese MediaInternational MediaDisasterJapanese Media

TsunamiDamageNow

Now
55Media Focus
International Media

TsunamiDamageDisasterMedia Focus

Japanese MediaInternational MediaDisasterJapanese Media

NuclearCrisis

TsunamiTsu
DamageNuclearCrisis

Now

Now
55

Media Focus
International MediaDisasterMedia Focus

Japanese MediaInternational MediaDisaster

TsunamiDamageTsunamiDamageJapanese Media

TsunamiDamageNuclearCrisis

TsunamiDamageNuclearCrisisNuclearCrisis

Now

Now
55

Media Focus
International MediaDisasterJapanese Media

TsunamiDamageTsunamiTsu
DamageMedia Focus

Survival
Info

International MediaDisasterJapanese Media

NuclearCrisisSurvival
Info

NuclearCrisis

TsunamiTsu
DamageNow

TsunamiDamageNuclearCrisisRecovery

NuclearCrisisNow
55Media Focus
International Media

TsunamiTsu
DamageDisasterJapanese Media

TsunamiDamageNuclearCrisisMedia Focus

Survival
Surviva
Info

RecoveryInternational Media

NuclearCrisis

TsunamiTsu
DamageTsunamiDamageNuclearCrisisNow

Japanese MediaDisasterSurvival
Surviva
Info

NuclearRecovery EncouragegCrisis
ment

Now
55

Media Focus
International MediaDisasterMedia Focus

Japanese MediaInternational Media

Needs of theinternational media
audience
TsunamiDamageJapanese MediaDisasterNeeds of theJapanese public andvictims in Tohoku

Needs of theinternational media
audience
TsunamiDamageTsunamiDamageSurvival
Info

NuclearRecovery Encourage- Crisis

NuclearCrisis

TsunamiDamagement

NuclearCrisisNow

Survival
Info

NuclearRecovery Encourage- Crisis
ment

Now
5

Media Messages
International Media

5Media Messages

Japanese MediaInternational MediaJapanese Media

Fukushima
Crisis66

Media Messages
International MediaMedia Messages

Japanese MediaInternational MediaJapanese MediaDon’t panic, radiation
is not a problem

Don’t panic, radiation
is not a problem

Fukushima
Crisis

Fukushima
CrisisExperts reassuring
the public

6

Media Messages
International Media

6Media Messages

Japanese MediaInternational MediaJapanese Media

Don’t panic, radiation
is not a problem
Fukushima
CrisisDon’t panic, radiation
is not a problem
Fukushima
CrisisExperts reassuring
the public
Relaying
government andTEPCO statements

Noconspiracy

Experts reassuring
the public
Relaying
government andTEPCO statements

6

Media Messages
International Media

Preventedpanic

6

Media Messages

Japanese MediaInternational MediaJapanese Media

Don’t panic, radiation
Dis not a problem
Fukushima
Crisis

Noconspiracy

Don’t panic, radiation
is not a problem
Fukushima
CrisisExperts reassuring
the publicRelaying
government andTEPCO statements

Experts reassuring
the public
Relaying
government andTEPCO statements

66

Media Messages
International Media

Fukushima
CrisisMedia Messages

Japanese MediaInternational MediaJapanese Media

Don’t panic, radiation
is not a problem

Precautionary
measures orsensationalism?

Don’t panic, radiation
is not a problem
Fukushima
CrisisExperts reassuring
the public
Relaying
government andTEPCO statements

Experts reassuring
the publicRelaying
government andTEPCO statements

7

Media Messages

7Media Messages

International MediaJapanese MediaInternational MediaJapanese Media

Precautionary
measures orsensationalism?

Don’t panic, radiation
is notyoa!problem

Precautionary
measures orsensationalism?

Don’t panic, radiation
is not a problem

TheSunTokf
Fukushima
oCrisisout Experts reassuring
the publicGet

Fukushima
CrisisRelaying
government andTEPCO statements

Experts reassuring
the publicRelaying
government andTEPCO statements

7

Media Messages

7

Media Messages

International MediaJapanese MediaInternational MediaJapanese Media

Precautionary
measures orsensationalism?

Don’t panic, radiation
is not a problem

Precautionary
measures orsensationalism?

Don’t panic, radiationis not a problem

Fukushima
Crisis“Take no chances.”
Unnecessary
damage.

Fukushima
CrisisExperts reassuring
the public
Relaying
government andTEPCO statements

Experts reassuring
the public
Relaying
government andTEPCO statements

77Media Messages

Media Messages

International MediaJapanese MediaInternational MediaJapanese Media

Precautionary
measures orsensationalism?

Don’t panic, radiation
is not a problem

Precautionary
measures orsensationalism?

Don’t panic, radiation
is not a problem

Experts reassuring
the public

Experts debate
the situation

Fukushima
Crisis

Fukushima
CrisisRelaying
government andTEPCO statements

Experts reassuring
the publicRelaying
government andTEPCO statements

8Media Messages
International Media

8Media Messages

Japanese Media

Precautionary
Don’t panic, radiation
measures orBBC
is not a problem
sensationalism?
Wade Allison
Anthony Froggart
Fukushima
March
4 April reassuring
Experts
Experts26
debateCrisis“Don’trun away from vs“The timefor
the public
thesituation
nuclear power”
renewable energy”
Relaying
government andTEPCO statements

International MediaJapanese Media

Precautionary
measures orsensationalism?

Don’t panic, radiation
is not a problem

Experts debate
the situation

Fukushima
CrisisExperts reassuring
the public
Relaying
government andTEPCO statements

8Media Messages

8Media Messages

International MediaJapanese Media

Precautionary
measures orsensationalism?

Don’t panic, radiation
is not a problem

Precautionary
Don’t panic, radiation
measures orBBC
is not a problem
sensationalism?
However, even a dose of 100 millisieverts over a year is enough to raise the risk ofExperts reassuring
the public1-2%. The debate
level of exposure for the general population, evenExperts
those living closeto thereassuring
Experts
plant, was unlikely to be anywhere near Crisis
as high. However, levels equivalent to around 25
millisieverts
a year have been recorded in the village of Iitate, to thethe
north public
west of thethesituation

Relaying
government andTEPCO statements

Relaying
government andTEPCO statements

Experts debate
the situation

Fukushima
CrisisInternational MediaJapanese Mediacancer, and a dose of 250 millisievertsFukushima
could produce an additional lifetime risk of aroundplant. Professor Wakeford said estimating the impact on human health of such a level wasdifﬁcult, but there was some evidence to suggest that it could raise the risk of cancer albeit by a small amount.

99

Media MessagesMedia Messages

International MediaJapanese MediaInternational MediaJapanese Media

Precautionary
measures orsensationalism?

Don’t panic, radiation
is not a problem

Precautionary
measures orsensationalism?

Don’t panic, radiation
is not a problem

Experts reassuring
the publicExperts debate
the situation

Experts debate
the situation

Fukushima
Crisis

Fukushima
CrisisRelaying
government andTEPCO statements

Experts reassuring
the publicRelaying
government andTEPCO statements

9Media Messages

Media Messages

International MediaJapanese Media

Precautionary
measures orsensationalism?

d radiation
Don’tseinotpanic,arisa problem
istoBBCcrisel”

r LevExperts reassuring
Experts debate
leaCrisislcu
the public
the situation Noby
Fukushima

an: hernpaJC“10International MediaJapanese Media

Precautionary
measures orsensationalism?

Don’t panic, radiation
is not a problem

Experts debate
the situation

Fukushima
CrisisRelaying
government andTEPCO statements

Experts reassuring
the public
Relaying
government andTEPCO statements

10Media Messages

10

Media Messages

International MediaJapanese MediaInternational MediaJapanese Media

Precautionary
measures orsensationalism?

Don’t panic, radiation
is not a problem

Precautionary
measures orsensationalism?

Don’t panic, radiation
is not a problem

Experts reassuring
the public

Experts debate
the situation

Relaying
government andTEPCO statements

Confusion: unclear
message and geography

Experts debate
the situation

Fukushima
Crisis11

Fukushima
CrisisExperts reassuring
the public
Relaying
government andTEPCO statements
11Media Messages
International MediaMedia Messages

Japanese Media

Precautionary
Don’t panic, radiation
measures oris not a problem
sensationalism?
Japan Focus Article by Makiko
Fukushima Residents
Segawa: “Fukushima
Experts reassuring
Experts debate
CrisisSeek Answers
Amid Mixed
the public
the situation
Signals From Media, TEPCO andGovernment.”Relaying
Confusion: unclear
government andmessage and geography
TEPCO statements

International MediaJapanese Media

Precautionary
measures orsensationalism?

Don’t panic, radiation
is not a problem

Experts debate
the situation
Confusion: unclear
message and geography

Fukushima
CrisisExperts reassuring
the public
Relaying
government andTEPCO statements

11

Story vs Situation
International Media

11

Story vs Situation

Japanese MediaInternational MediaJapanese MediaThe elements of agreat media story

12

Story vs Situation
International Media

12

Story vs Situation

Japanese MediaInternational MediaJapanese MediaThe elements of agreat media story

The elements of agreat media storyWe are still in a“situation”

Debate from a
comfortable distance

Debate from a
comfortable distance1212

Story vs Situation

Story vs Situation

International MediaJapanese MediaInternational MediaJapanese MediaThe elements of agreat media story

We are still in a“situation”

The elements of agreat media story

We are still in a“situation”

Debate from a
comfortable distance

Narratives of disasterlike narratives ofWorld War II

Debate from a
comfortable distance

Narratives of disasterlike narratives ofWorld War II
In time Japan will
write its media story

12

What we can do!

12

What we can do!
• Don’t give up on Japan.

13

What we can do!

13

What we can do!

• Don’t give up on Japan.
• Continue life as normal.

• Don’t give up on Japan.
• Continue life as normal.
• Be media literate.

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What we can do!

What we can do!

• Don’t give up on Japan.
• Continue life as normal.
• Be media literate.
• Be sensible about risks.

• Don’t give up on Japan.
• Continue life as normal.
• Be media literate.
• Be sensible about risks.
Thank you!
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