Tweeting in the midst of disaster: A comparative case study of journalists’ practices following four crises

Abstract

This comparative case study examines how local journalists used Twitter as a crisis communication tool during four emergency situations in the United States. The public’s retweeting and liking patterns also identified messages that resonated with them. A content analysis found that although local journalists used objective reporting most frequently across all crises, there were variances in Twitter practices of journalists covering the two human-made crises. The two natural disasters showed more similarities. These findings can help develop best-practices strategies for journalists as they cover different types of crises.