Perception of Media to Vulnerable Group to Heatwave Disaster
Authors:   Form of Public Safety and Culture, Park Mi Ye , Lee Sung Su 
Published: December 2023

Journalists' awareness of heat wave vulnerable groups is revealed through the media. This affects news recipients who mainly rely on the media for disaster-related information, and it is highly likely that news recipients will accept information revealed through the media as is. As heat wave disasters continue to increase, this study was conducted to investigate and analyze journalists' perceptions of specific groups reported in the media to find factors that influence the reporting frame for heat wave vulnerable groups. For this purpose, a survey was conducted targeting current reporters belonging to broadcasting companies who had experience reporting on heat wave vulnerable groups. The survey consisted of multiple-choice and open-ended questions on a 4-point Likert scale. The multiple-choice questions consisting of a 4-point Likert scale were divided into dimensions through exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and factors were classified into reporting environment and reporting effect. In addition, we attempted to understand the specific opinions of journalists through descriptive questions, and through this, we were able to identify the main messages they wanted to convey to news recipients through current reporters' motivations for covering heat wave vulnerable groups and reporting. As a result, first, it was found that there are reporting practices that create a specific frame when covering and reporting on heat wave vulnerable groups. Second, current reporters appeared to think positively about the current reporting method on heat wave vulnerable groups. Third, it was confirmed that current journalists approach reporting on heat wave vulnerable groups as a journalistic role and reporting practice. Fourth, it was revealed that the report on heat wave vulnerable groups was intended to urge national and local governments to take measures against vulnerable groups. It was confirmed that the journalist's mission and reporting practices regarding the socially disadvantaged influenced the composition of the reporting frame for the heat wave vulnerable group. According to reporting practices, emotional language and images are used to express heat wave vulnerable groups in the news, and it was confirmed that current reporters maintain this reporting method because they believe it is effective in preparing recipients for heat waves. However, there is a possibility that the intention of reporting on heat wave vulnerable groups may conflict with the way of expressing heat wave vulnerable groups according to reporting practices. Current reporters composed news with the intention of urging measures at the national and local government levels through reporting on heat wave vulnerable groups, but the method of expression was conveyed to news recipients through emotional reporting language and video about the living conditions of heat wave vulnerable groups. It is being done. This needs to be confirmed through research on news recipients. In the future, based on the results of this study, we expect to be able to identify differences in perception between reporting and receiving subjects regarding heat wave vulnerable groups.