Objectives:We aim to evaluate the responses of health authorities and the news media to the ‘Pesticide detected eggs’ which were first identified in August 2017 in South Korea. Among multiple tasks for effective risk and crisis management, ‘communication’ was our special focus. Accuracy and consistency in information provision, top leaders’ accountable communication with the public, and the efforts to create collaborations among governmental agencies were analyzed for the diagnosis of the governmental agencies’ communication. Media’s two key functions (i.e. agenda-setting and surveillance) as well as outrage characteristics in the news articles of the contaminated eggs were also analyzed.
Methods: Press releases and FAQ information, available at two web sites of Korean FDA and MAFRA, were collected for the analysis. News articles of the event from 10 Korean domestic newspapers and 2 British press during mid of July to early September were collected to evaluate the media’s responses. A traditional content analysis was conducted, using the coding schemes that the authors developed based on theoretical review of the media’s functions in a crisis.
Results: Risk related messages released by governmental agencies were poorly prepared. Top leaders failed to deliver the public their willingness to take accountability in managing the situations. Collaborative communication among inter-agencies as well as health authority and the expert groups was not promptly functioning. While the news media’s agenda was timely setting, its role of surveillance of emerging risks was not appropriately taken. Compared to the UK news articles, those by Korean domestic media were more representing conflicts and used more negative tones in the stories, which could increase public outrage of the event.
Conclusion: On the basis of our findings, four agendas for improving risk communication capacities of key actors in risk governance (i.e. health authorities, news media, and the civic society).
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