Gatekeepers: controlling communication in a time of crisis

Abstract

ABSTRACT In times of crisis, there often exists a disconnect between law enforcement and media, such that law enforcement focuses on conducting their jobs while maintaining calm and media focus on reporting information as soon as possible. Indeed, the timing of breaking news is the breaking point in this relationship. The present study introduces a novel, fictitious crisis scenario to explore participants’ opinions on the handling of information and on attributions of blame. Participants read and responded to questions about the crisis online. Participants (N = 252) include law enforcement officials, public information officers, reporters, assignment desk editors, news directors, and “none of the above,” referring to anyone not employed in those occupations. An additional supplementary study provides written qualitative responses from 215 participants on their opinions of media honesty and law enforcement’s withholding of information. Results indicate that law enforcement, media, and the public largely agree on how the fictitious scenario was handled. Where there are dissenting opinions, media are the distinct group. This work has important implications for communication between police and media agencies, the relationship between police, media, and the public, and for policies on information release in a time of crisis.