| While social scientists have attempted to develop explanations for risk and crisis management, the current study articulates a new theory of emergency communication (TEC) which identifies six specific dimensions of emergency messages. The dissertation surveys two groups primarily responsible for message construction---journalists and official sources---in urban Kentucky using a hypothetical anthrax attack. Specifically, this study; (1) provides a rationale for how emergencies differ from routine journalist-source interactions, (2) articulates the dimensions of emergency messages, (3) frames emergency communication using coorientation (Chaffee & McLeod, 1968) to analyze the attitudes and cross perceptions of journalists and official sources in an extreme event, (4) tests TEC coorientation hypotheses, and (5) suggests strategies for improving journalist-official source interaction in a terror attack, natural disaster, or other emergency to improve public health messages.; Keywords. Emergency, Crisis Communication, Terrorism, Public Health Messages, Panic... |
