Check Crisis Information on Twitter: Information Flow and Crisis Communication Patterns of Hurricane Ida

• Published in: Communication studies Vol. 74; no. 4; pp. 337 - 355
• Main Authors: Jin, Xianlin, Spence, Patric R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: West Lafayette Routledge 04.07.2023; Central States Speech Association
• Subjects: Computer mediated communication; Crisis communication; influencer; Internet; media dependency theory; Social media; social network analysis
• ISSN: 1051-0974; 1745-1035
• DOI: 10.1080/10510974.2023.2202872

This study maps the online information flow of crisis communication during Hurricane Ida and identifies the top 20 Twitter influencers based on their betweenness centrality. Inspired by media dependency theory, this study explores major crisis information resources by analyzing the top 10 domains in the information network of Hurricane Ida. The findings suggest that news media remain the major information resource of social media users. Social media and news media tend to exchange crisis information. By analyzing the content of the top 10 URLs, the authors discover that most crisis contents focus on the New York City flood, death tolls of Hurricane Ida, evacuation failures, political critiques, and rescue efforts. Theoretical insights into mapping online crisis information flow, exploring media dependency during a crisis, and unpacking crisis communication patterns are offered. Practical implications for organizations to monitor crisis information flow, increase online influence, and promptly address concerns are discussed.