Managing a crisis: A framing analysis of press releases dealing with the Fukushima nuclear power station crisis

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore how TEPCO used press releases which dealt with the Fukushima nuclear crisis that occurred in March 2011 attempting to restore its reputation by analyzing frames used in the press releases. To conduct this research, 300 press releases from the TEPCO website were gathered during an approximately one-month time period (March 11, 2011 to April 5, 2011) after the earthquake and tsunami first struck Japan. According to the findings of this study, TEPCO utilized the official updates frame predominately more than the other three frames: attribution, announcement, and apology. By providing official updates, the company consistently attempted to keep the public informed in order to avoid information gaps. Furthermore, TEPCO used the attribution frame more than the apology frame. More precisely, the organization evaded its accountability by assigning blame to the earthquake and apologized only when definitely necessary—such as regarding a loss of employees and discomforts caused by the crisis. With regard to the announcement frame, the company recognized that only a small amount of information was necessary for the public.