Title
Preparing for the Worst: Lessons for News Media After Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico
Date Issued
20 October 2020
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Zhang Q.
Chavez M.
Michigan State University
Publisher(s)
Routledge
Abstract
Hurricane Maria (2017) was the most devastating hurricane in Puerto Rico in the last 90 years. The entire communication system collapsed, including cellular. Media organizations in Puerto Rico, with the exception of one radio station, were unable to transmit much-needed information during and immediately after Maria made landfall. This study examines changes in journalistic practices, organizational readiness and disaster coverage plans, and infrastructure preparedness almost 18 months after the event. This study extends the limited research examining long-term changes to news media preparedness plans in the context of disasters and expands theoretical understandings of media practices in the context of the hierarchy of influences model. The results suggest that infrastructure damage severely hampered the ability of news organizations to perform their work, but solidarity among media was useful in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. Each media played a differentiated and important role after the disaster based on their resources and organizational structure. The study shows that preparedness plans were inadequate and that changes are slowly been implemented to deal with challenges related to infrastructure, electricity, and technology, but with limited focus on the long-term well-being of media workers. Recommendations to improve responses to future natural disasters are presented.
Start page
1106
End page
1124
Volume
14
Issue
9
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Comunicación, Medios de comunicación
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85074593799
Source
Journalism Practice
ISSN of the container
17512786
Sponsor(s)
This research was funded by the National Science Foundation (grant number #1824976); Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation. Thanks to Mariazell Vélez of the Overseas Press Club for her assistance in scheduling interviews with news organizations in Puerto Rico. Thanks to all the participants and news media in Puerto Rico that risk everything to bring much needed information to Puerto Ricans during the worst of times.
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus