Abstract
The communication analysis of the effects of the red sludge catastrophe focuses on the aftermath of the crisis, its current perception today and the vision of the affected public on upcoming current global challenges. The research covers the analysis of the flow of information between key stakeholder groups as well as communication between the directly affected public and the wider public. Situational Crisis Communication Theory, together with concepts about the categorisation and periods of crises provide the conceptual framework for the analysis. This is complemented by concepts about remembrance, collective memory, the social construct of past events as well as key notions about social and institutional trust. The analysis is based on a survey of 339 people from August 2020 and is further enriched through adapting the context of a similar survey from 2013 and media research from the period 2010-2012.
The majority of respondents express disinterest in the topic by now, gaining ground from the previously expressed communication deficit from 2013. Those who still follow the news about the red sludge catastrophe are primarily interested in developments about the investigation, the legal, and the court proceedings. This is further enhanced by the current ‘intentional cluster’ framing of the media. TV is the most commonly used medium for accessing news, while the family is considered the most reliable source of information. Respondents seek institutional support on a local level only, and they distrust politicians and political parties. While the majority consider the red sludge catastrophe as an event of the past and do not think it influences their daily life anymore, those affected the most show increased sensitivity and level of concern towards new crisis challenges, such as the coronavirus pandemic and climate change.
The majority of respondents express disinterest in the topic by now, gaining ground from the previously expressed communication deficit from 2013. Those who still follow the news about the red sludge catastrophe are primarily interested in developments about the investigation, the legal, and the court proceedings. This is further enhanced by the current ‘intentional cluster’ framing of the media. TV is the most commonly used medium for accessing news, while the family is considered the most reliable source of information. Respondents seek institutional support on a local level only, and they distrust politicians and political parties. While the majority consider the red sludge catastrophe as an event of the past and do not think it influences their daily life anymore, those affected the most show increased sensitivity and level of concern towards new crisis challenges, such as the coronavirus pandemic and climate change.
| Translated title of the contribution | The red sludge catastrophe is over: let us forget about it?: Long-term credibility and communication effects of the crisis |
|---|---|
| Original language | Hungarian |
| Pages (from-to) | 207 |
| Number of pages | 234 |
| Journal | Studia Wespremiensia |
| Volume | 23 |
| Publication status | Published - 4 Dec 2022 |
Keywords
- crisis communication
- Coronavirus
- instiitutional trust
- climate change