Reporting Risk: Perceptions of Fear and Risk from Health News Coverage |
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| Authors: | Barbara M Miller Alissa A Packer Brooke Barnett |
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| Institution: | 1. School of Communications , Elon University bmiller9@elon.edu;3. Department of Biology , Susquehanna University;4. School of Communications , Elon University |
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| Abstract: | Using actual news coverage of an environmental risk, this experimental study examined whether providing unrelated risk comparisons and information about other sources of the same risk influenced readers' reactions to the coverage. The study suggests stories that provide information on other sources of a contaminant may do little to reduce risk perceptions; however, providing information about the magnitude of the risk at hand relative to other risks had several communication benefits. Both comparisons lead readers to feel more informed about the risk and, thus, better able to make decisions than those who did not see the comparisons. Media implications are discussed. |
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| Keywords: | Experiment Mass Communication Newspapers Risk Communication Risk Perception |
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