Media Framing in Crisis Communication
Summary
Media framing in crisis communication examines how news outlets and digital platforms select, emphasise and present aspects of emergencies to shape public understanding and response. Frames construct narratives around causation, responsibility and solvability, influencing risk perception and trust in authorities. Key frame types include disaster, conflict, moral and responsibility frames, which guide audience interpretation of events such as pandemics, natural hazards or socio-economic shocks. In an increasingly interconnected media environment, legacy news, social networks and livestreaming interplay to accelerate frame propagation and contestation. Scholars highlight the dynamic negotiation between journalistic norms, expert sourcing and audience expectations, noting how visual imagery and language choices can heighten fear or foster solidarity. Understanding framing effects supports more effective crisis management: it informs public information strategies, counteracts misinformation and enhances community resilience by promoting clear, actionable guidance and balanced discourse.
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Media Framing in Crisis Communication publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in media framing in crisis communication across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Media framing: The process by which information is selected and presented to shape audience perception and interpretation of an issue.
Crisis communication: The strategic dissemination of information before, during and after an emergency to guide public behaviour and manage risk.
Narrative frame: An organising structure that defines problems, assigns causality and suggests solutions within media discourse.
Responsibility frame: A specific narrative frame that attributes blame or commendation for the causes and management of a crisis.
References
- “The toxic substance has killed all ducks”: framing of chemical risks related to the 2021 summer flood in German news media. Environmental Sciences Europe (2023).
- Reporting to audiences in crisis: Disruption, criticism and absent hope in TV journalisms’ rendering of the impactful UK energy price rises. Media Culture & Society (2024).
- Expert voices in the news reporting of the coronavirus pandemic: A study of UK television news bulletins and their audiences. Journalism (2022).
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