title: MASS MEDIA COMMUNICATION OF EMERGENCY ISSUES AND COUNTERMEASURES IN A NUCLEAR ACCIDENT: FUKUSHIMA REPORTING IN EUROPEAN NEWSPAPERS.
abstract: This paper presents the results of a large study of 1340 articles published by two major newspapers in six European countries (Belgium, Italy, Norway, Slovenia, Spain and Russia) in the first 2 months after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. The focus of the analysis is on the application and overall impact of protective actions, both during the emergency phase and later, how the newspapers describe those actions, which differences were apparent between countries and what recommendations can be extracted in order to improve general communication about these issues. A clear lesson is that, even under uncertainty and recognising limitations, responsible authorities need to provide transparent, clear and understandable information to the public and the mass media right from the beginning of the early phase of any nuclear emergency. Clear, concise messages should be given. Mass media could play a key role in reassuring the public if the countermeasures are clearly explained.
authors.affiliation: Energy Engineering Department, E.T.S. Ingenieros Industriales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006-Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gallego
authors.affiliation: Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 16, I-20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Marie Claire
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Cantone
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental Radioactivity (CERAD), Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Universitetstunet 3, 1433 Ås, Norway.
authors.forename: Deborah H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Oughton
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK·CEN,Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol, Belgium.
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Perko
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Iztok
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Prezelj
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental Radioactivity (CERAD), Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Universitetstunet 3, 1433 Ås, Norway.
authors.forename: Yevgeniya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tomkiv
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium; D003142:Communication; D030881:Disclosure; D005060:Europe; D062406:Fukushima Nuclear Accident; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008402:Mass Media; D009664:Norway; D012426:Russia; D017524:Slovenia; D013030:Spain