Public Communication Research Articles

Rapid Earthquake Rupture Characterization for New Zealand Using the FinDer Algorithm

ABSTRACT Immediately after a significant earthquake, rapid scientific information is critical for response decision-making and estimating secondary hazards, and is a key component of advisories and public communication. Characterization of the fault rupture extent is especially valuable because it strongly controls ground-motion estimates, or tsunami forecasts in offshore settings. The Finite-fault rupture Detector (FinDer) is designed to rapidly estimate location, extent, and orientation of earthquake fault rupture by matching spatial distributions of high-frequency seismic amplitudes with precomputed templates. Under a large public initiative to better prepare for and respond to natural disasters, FinDer is being implemented in New Zealand for rapid source characterization. Here, we report on implementation and performance, including offline and real-time testing using configurations modified for the New Zealand setting. Systematic testing is used to inform guidelines for real-time usage and interpretation. Analysis of rupture parameter recovery when using national network GeoNet stations demonstrates that for moderate (M 6+) onshore earthquakes FinDer can resolve magnitude and location well, and the rupture strike is also well determined for large (M 7+) onshore earthquakes. For near-offshore earthquakes (within 100 km), FinDer can provide reasonable magnitude estimates but cannot determine the location or strike. Real-time testing shows reliable detection for onshore earthquakes of M 4.5+, with reasonable location and magnitude accuracy. First detection times range between 7 and 65 s of earthquake origin, and stable solutions even for large (M 7+) magnitude events are delivered within 2 min. Although the GeoNet seismic network is not optimized for earthquake early warning, this provides a first exploration of network-based capability for New Zealand. Offline testing of significant M 7+ historic earthquakes demonstrates that FinDer’s rupture solutions can be used to improve rapid shaking predictions, and may be used to infer additional directivity and tsunami hazard even for complex events like the 2016 M 7.8 Kaikōura earthquake.

The Representation of Objecting to Violence Against Women: A Semiotic Analysis

Representing the objection to violence against women in public service announcements is a significant effort to raise concern and social awareness about this important social problem. Public spots aim to inspire women by emphasizing strong and resilient characteristics of women who have been subjected to violence. The persuasive effect of public service announcements in the fight against violence towards women can lead to behavioral changes by activating the emotional reactions of the audience. Thanks to the impressive stories of public service announcements, viewers may be more willing to stand by and support women subjected to violence. Furthermore, public spots emphasize the importance of a collective effort by conveying the message that all parts of society must take responsibility to prevent violence against women. This study examines the public spots titled “Don’t Hide-Don’t Ignore” prepared by Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye Directorate of Communications, by means of semiotic analysis and discusses the representation of violence against women in public communication. Instead of imperious discourses referring to women’s passivity, and contrary to the general view, the spots revealing that women can be subjected to violence regardless of their socioeconomic status include realistic persuasive arguments by encouraging social awareness, empathy, and solidarity.

FlexRay protocol based distributed nonfragile dissipative filtering of state-saturated switched stochastic systems

ABSTRACT This article concentrates on the finite-time nonfragile distributed dissipative filtering issue for time-varying switched stochastic systems (SSSs) with state saturations over wireless sensor networks based on FlexRay communication protocol. To effectively deal with the resource restriction problem of the public communication network and energy consumption of the sensor nodes, the FlexRay communication protocol, including the Round-Robin protocol (RRP) and weighted try-once-discard protocol (WTODP), is introduced to schedule the data transmission of each sensor node. In addition, the phenomenon of randomly occurring gain variations (ROGVs) of filter parameters, characterised by the Bernoulli distributed random variables, is taken into consideration for the implementation of desired filter. A sufficient condition under the average dwell time (ADT) restriction is presented to guarantee the mean-square exponential stability and stochastically dissipative property of the augmented filtering error system (AFES) in a finite horizon. Moreover, the gains of the dissipativity-based filters are achieved by solving recursive linear matrix inequalities (RLMIs). Finally, an illustrative example is provided to exhibit the effectiveness of the designed filter.

"I think we can do without [tobacco]": support for policies to end the tobacco epidemic among California adolescents.

The tobacco endgame, policies aiming to end the commercial tobacco epidemic, requires sustained public support, including among youth. We assessed endgame support among California (USA) adolescents, including their reasons and associated participant and policy-specific factors. Teens, Nicotine and Tobacco Project online surveys (n=4827) and focus groups were conducted in 2021 and 2022 among California residents aged 12-17 years. Cross-sectional survey participants were asked their agreement level with eight policy statements related to tobacco and/or cannabis sales restrictions, use in public places and use in multiunit housing. Ordered logistic regression modelled level of agreement according to respondent characteristics, behaviours and statement content. Qualitative data were collected through focus groups (n=51 participants), which were analysed to provide insight into support for different policies. Most survey participants agreed or strongly agreed with tobacco product sales restrictions (72%-75%, depending on the policy), bans on use in public spaces (76%-82%) and smoke-free (79%) and vape-free (74%) apartment buildings. Support was stronger among younger, female, Asian and tobacco non-using participants and for policies directed at 'tobacco' (vs 'vapes' or cannabis), at flavoured tobacco (compared with all tobacco), and when statements featured 'should end' (vs 'not allowed'). Focus group participants who were supportive viewed policies as protecting children from harmful products, while those less supportive cited concerns about limiting adults' freedoms and unintended consequences. Most participants supported strong tobacco control policies. Public communication that promotes broader endgame benefits besides protecting youth and accelerates industry denormalisation may counter youth concerns and further bolster their support.

Communication and democratic erosion: The rise of illiberal public spheres

In recent years, many once stable democracies have experienced various degrees of disruptive communication, along with the erosion of core institutions such as the press, elections, courts, and the rights of citizens. We propose a framework to compare the logics of illiberal and liberal democratic communication and contrast traditionally dominant communication norms of tolerance, civility, responsiveness, and reasoned resolution of differences in liberal democracies with transgressions of those norms by illiberal rightwing movements, parties, leaders, and voters. We suggest that unlike ‘counter publics’ that seek inclusion in liberal democratic systems, engagement with illiberal communication creates “transgressive publics” that attempt to exclude others in the process of promoting ethnic and religious nationalism. This framework offers a corrective to recent scholarship on democratic public spheres that focuses mainly on why the ideals of more inclusive and egalitarian communication are ever more remote. We shift the focus to the systematic disruptions of mainstream public communication and the authority of public institutions. Our analysis develops a broader theoretical context in which interactions between illiberal leaders and publics occur, with the aim of understanding national variations in how communication systems contribute to democratic erosion.

Ulus Oluşturma Sürecinde Genç Cumhuriyetten Notlar: Yurttaşlık, Sağlık Hakkı ve Kamusal İletişim

I. Dünya Savaşı sonrasında, uluslararası ilişki ve dengelerin yeniden düzenlendiği bir ortamda, Anadolu’da, bir imparatorluktan ulus-devlete geçişin, yeni bir düzenin kuruluşunun mücadelesi verilmekteydi. Ulusun statüsü henüz Cumhuriyet olarak ilan edilmemekle birlikte; egemenliğin kaynağının değiştiği, “halk” olduğu bilinmekteydi. 29 Ekim 1923’te yeni düzenin adı da resmen konuldu: Cumhuriyet. Savaşlardan yorgun düşmüş, insanlarını kaybetmiş genç devletin, ilk politikalarından biri de sağlık hakkının kullanılmasını olanaklı kılan düzenlenmelerin yapılmasıdır. Sağlık hizmetleri ve kamusal iletişim söz konusu olduğunda iki temel amaç, sağlık hizmetlerinin kamusal biçimde sağlanması ve sağlık bilincinin geliştirilmesidir. Çalışmada, Türkiye’de, sağlık alanında politikaların oluşturulması ve kurumsallaştırılmasında ilk ve kalıcı adımların atıldığı 1920-1950 yılları arasındaki gelişmelerin incelenmesi amaçlanmaktadır. Betimsel bir çalışma olan makalede, konuyla ilgili ulusal ve uluslararası mevzuatın yanı sıra incelenen dönemin ekonomik, siyasal, toplumsal yapısı üzerine yapılan araştırmalardan, temel politika belgelerinden, birincil kaynaklardan ve dönemin tanıklıklarından yararlanılmıştır. Sağlık Bakanlığı’nın, sağlık hizmetlerinin koruyucu, iyileştirici ve rehabilite edici nitelikleriyle bir arada sunulması gerekliliğinden hareketle, her alanda sağlık hizmetlerine yatırım yaptığı ve politika geliştirdiği görülmektedir.

Strategi Komunikasi Humas Polres Musi Rawas Dalam Meningkatkan Citra Institusi Di Masyarakat

Public relation is a form of public service, if poor public service practices by state officials result in the communitys needs not being met, which ultimately does not bring about general welfare. Poor public services occur because of the bad intentions of state administrators to abuse their power and authority, therefore there is a need for a strategy in building the identity of the Musi Rawas Police. The communication strategy developed by Musi Rawas Police Public not only in obtaining a good image, but also in how the positive image that has been built can be maintained. The type of research used is a qualitative approach with the approach regarding public relation. Data collection techniques use observation methods, interview methods, and documentation. The implication of this research is that it is hoped that the public Relations Communications Strategy in building the image of institutions in society will be maximized, because it is necessary to create good relations between the police and the community.
 
 
 

Public Relations Communication Strategies In Improving Regional Image (Study of Lubuklinggau City Regional Government Public Relations)

This research discusses the public relations communication strategy of the Lubuklinggau city government in improving the image of the Lubuklinggau city government. This research aims to find out what communication strategies are used by Lubuklinggau city government public relations in improving the image of Lubuklinggau city government. This research is a qualitative descriptive study with data collection techniques used, namely interviews and observation. The results of the research concluded that Lubuklinggau city government public relations has implemented a public relations strategy, namely exploring the desires of the community, socializing the achievements of the Lubuklinggau city government through the media, managing relationships, developing strategies and developing networks. In accordance with its role, public relations is a tool used to establish good relations between the government, society, mass media and other agencies so that good cooperation occurs. From there, public relations carries out communication activities with the public, media and other agencies. This is done to improve the image within the institution. From these activities and strategies, a harmonious relationship was established between the community and the Lubuklinggau city government.
 Keywords: Strategy, Communication, Public Relations, Regional Image

The Communication Patterns between Online Transportation Applicators and Driver Partners in Bandung

The online transportation industry is growing rapidly in the city of Bandung. Therefore, understanding the public relations communication patterns applied by online transportation applicators is very important. Effective communication patterns can strengthen relationships, increase trust levels, and increase partner loyalty to the company. However, if the communication pattern is not appropriate, it can cause obstacles, conflicts, and partner dissatisfaction. This study aims to analyze the communication patterns of public relations in online transportation applications with driver partners in the city of Bandung. The research method is descriptive-qualitative, with data collection techniques through interviews with eight driver partners of online transportation applications. The scientific findings show that communication barriers between applicators and driver-partners are related to differences in language, culture, communication understanding, and limited communication channels. However, applicators have implemented persuasive communication approach strategies by providing communication channels such as online forums and offline meetings to facilitate communication with partners. In conclusion, the importance of understanding and handling communication barriers in the public relations relationship between online transportation applicators and driver-partners Effective communication and the use of appropriate communication channels can strengthen working relationships, increase partner satisfaction, and build long-term loyalty.

Bibliometric analysis of literature on social media trends during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThis study employs bibliometric analysis to map the research landscape of social media trending topics during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors aim to offer a comprehensive review of the predominant research organisations and countries, key themes and favoured research methodologies pertinent to this subject.Design/methodology/approachThe authors extracted data on social media trending topics from the Web of Science Core Collection database, spanning from 2009 to 2022. A total of 1,504 publications were subjected to bibliometric analysis, utilising the VOSviewer tool. The study analytical process encompassed co-occurrence, co-authorship, citation analysis, field mapping, bibliographic coupling and co-citation analysis.FindingsInterest in social media research, particularly on trending topics during the COVID-19 pandemic, remains high despite signs of the pandemic stabilising globally. The study predominantly addresses misinformation and public health communication, with notable focus on interactions between governments and the public. Recent studies have concentrated on analysing Twitter user data through text mining, sentiment analysis and topic modelling. The authors also identify key leading organisations, countries and journals that are central to this research area.Originality/valueDiverging from the narrow focus of previous literature reviews on social media, which are often confined to particular fields or sectors, this study offers a broad view of social media's role, emphasising trending topics. The authors demonstrate a significant link between social media trends and public events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper discusses research priorities that emerged during the pandemic and outlines potential methodologies for future studies, advocating for a greater emphasis on qualitative approaches.Peer reviewThe peer-review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-05-2023-0194.

Communication Processes in the Communication Office Government Speech Formats: A Discursive Analysis of the News Published on the Rn Government Portal

The article presents an approach to the discourse produced by government communication offices, based on the communication developed in the news published in the institutional media of government agencies, as a public power. It highlights the relevant need to do Public Communication, respecting equal rights, through equity applied between political and governmental communication, in defense of public interests in the production of news content. In this context, it makes an clipping from Brandão's dissertation (2023). It fosters a discussion that supports the practical development of communication based on democratic principles and the exercise of citizenship, through the institutional information built. This research work aims to contribute theoretically and empirically, with Latin American research in the field of media communication, which defend the applicability of Public Communication. In addition, the study aims to expand this discussion on the international scene, to promote theoretical-empirical knowledge of the theoretical perspectives of PC and French Discourse Analysis (DA), which are the main study methods used in the research. It is intended to encourage future publications by researchers who are interested in the theme of construction public discourse. The results show the predominant types of communication in the 14 news analyzed, verifying the democratic contributions of the Communication Office of the Government of Rio Grande do Norte, however it is verified that the communication exercised, presents in the production of meanings of the narratives, more discursive elements of a political-governmental communication.

FINDING THE “SO WHAT?”: DEVELOPING A MEANINGFUL CAREER THAT MAKES AN IMPACT

Abstract As a foundation to my social work scholarship, I consistently ask myself a question that my advisor once posed to me: “So what?” In other words, why and to whom does your research matter, and what are you going to do with it? In this presentation, I will show how my scholarship is framed by my practice experience working in Washington, DC for a think tank and advocacy organization. I will describe my approach to merging traditional academic pursuits with public communication and dissemination activities, including publishing in open-access journals, writing op-eds and reports, and pursuing organizational and community collaborations. I will provide specific examples of my collaborative research with local, state, and national organizations, including how we discuss potential research projects and reach mutually beneficial agreements. Lastly, I will describe how I blend this exciting and personally meaningful approach with more established expectations for tenure-track professors.

The impact of education level on Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices towards COVID-19 in Edo State, Nigeria.

For effective Public Health measures, factors that influence Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) need to be understood. In this paper, we document the relationship between levels of education on the KAP towards COVID-19 among the population of Edo State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional KAP questionnaire was delivered across 13 communities. The study population was dichotomized into those who had or had not completed secondary education. Chi-square tests were conducted to determine statistical significance. Of the 538 participants, 30% had completed secondary education. Those with secondary education were significantly more likely to recognize symptoms of COVID-19 (P<0.001). For attitudes, only one option showed a statistically significant association with 78.4% of those who did not complete secondary education having a high confidence in the church compared with 66% of those who had (P=0.022). For practices, those who have completed secondary education practiced all of the supplied measures more than those who had not, except for taking herbal supplements. Higher levels of education impacts on knowledge and practices but has less impact on attitudes regarding how well certain individuals/organizations can handle the pandemic. Findings highlighted the importance of tailoring public health communication and strategies to local populations to improve the efficacy.

PRESIDENTIAL SYMPOSIUM: HIGHLIGHTING EMERGING PROFESSIONALS WHO BUILD BRIDGES, CATALYZE RESEARCH, AND EMPOWER ALL AGES

Abstract There are many ways to carve a path forward in aging research, policy, and practice. Sometimes the career possibilities are overwhelming, leaving us unsure of how best to proceed. As aging professionals, we know that there is much to learn from those who have gone before us. Therefore, in the ESPO Presidential Symposium we highlight four emerging professionals who are trailblazing diverse and fulfilling career paths in aging by building bridges, catalyzing research, and empowering all ages. Speakers include Drs. Cal Halvorsen, Lindsay Kobayashi, Jamie Justice, and Glenna Brewster Glasgow. Dr. Jacqui Smith will serve as the discussant, synthesizing main findings, emphasizing positive outcomes, and exploring challenges. Starting with identifying the “So What?” of his career, Dr. Cal Halvorsen will explore how his practice roots in policy and advocacy led to his current approach of merging scholarly pursuits and public communication to make an impact beyond the walls of academia. Next, moving to cross-national aging research, Dr. Lindsay Kobayashi will discuss the opportunities and challenges of combining diverse cross-national cohorts to identify policy-relevant and context-specific modifiers of health risks for older adults. Next, Dr. Jamie Justice will focus on her career in translational geroscience and share a translational framework for aging outcomes trials. Finally, from an interdisciplinary approach to conducting research with families living with cognitive impairment in the US and the Caribbean, Dr. Glenna Brewster Glasgow will reflect on practical strategies to develop and maintain collaborative relationships with researchers and stakeholders locally, nationally, and internationally.

Partnerships for a Nonprofit Organization’s Human Trafficking Digital Activism, Training, Legislative Advocacy, and Survivor Support Efforts

Although partnerships are a widely used approach to combat human trafficking, little research has been done on nonprofit partnerships for digital activism on human trafficking. This paper combines the public interest communication (PIC) theoretical framework with critical trafficking studies to understand one nonprofit’s digital activism strategies for human trafficking awareness. Employing grounded theory to analyze 54 pages of text, qualitative surveys, and interviews, data revealed organizational partnerships focused on the key areas of training, legislative advocacy, and survivor support. However, partners can potentially derail strategic efforts for social change if misaligned with PIC dimensions and human rights approaches to human trafficking. Based on these findings, recommendations for nonprofit partnerships for digital activism on human trafficking are presented.

Исторические предпосылки цифрового импичмента в социальных сетях

The objectives of this article are to examine the reasons that led to the digital impeachment of the US President Donald Trump on social media to determine the impact of account suspension on US technology platforms. The article analyses the causes and consequences of online aggression of government representatives to-wards competitors and the population. The paper explores the background of fake news emergence in the US President’s official accounts. The impact of account suspension on political communication via social media for politicians at all levels of government in the United States is evaluated. The study of a new public life phe-nomenon in the country, which is essentially an example of the digital form of impeachment for the head of state, allows making recommendations to avoid such situation through the development of the state in a new role of digital regulator in any other democratic country that uses social networks for public communication.

The Digital Contestation of Racialized Nationhood in Russia

This article offers an account of how digital-media communication enables the negotiation of nationhood from the bottom up. It explains how conservative understandings of national belonging can be challenged and co-constructed in the process of public communication over a given discursive event. Using a discourse-historical approach and multimodal critical discourse analysis focused on Manizha’s performance on the Eurovision Song Contest, the author shows the role of race, gender, citizenship, and origins for the construction of a sense of national belonging in the Russian Federation right on the eve of the full-scale war with Ukraine. The author argues that despite the commonly shared racialized understanding of Russian nationhood and the state-imposed conservative values that shape it, there was a dynamic toward a more inclusive understanding of national belonging that was advanced by some popular celebrities and picked up, bottom-up, by minority groups and liberal-minded RUnetizens.

Political and gender narratives: An immersion in contemporary Italy through the social lens on women leaders

This article presents a comparative analysis between two prominent figures in contemporary Italian politics, Giorgia Meloni and Elly Schlein, with a particular focus on the gender dynamics that permeate their political context and influence their public trajectory. Through an in-depth exploration of their political narratives, the analysis centers on the use of gender as a central element in both leaders' strategies. The initial phase of the analysis involved a quantitative assessment conducted through social data analysis to understand the extent of online presence and influence of the two political figures under examination. Only subsequently are the discourses and public communications related to women, family, and gender issues highlighted and analyzed. This research aims to provide a unique perspective on how political and gender positions influence politics and contribute to an understanding of contemporary political dynamics in Italy

Designing and Validation of the Leadership Competency Scale in Medicine

Background: Leadership competencies in medicine are the key factors in improving the performance of physicians and the health system. The aim of the present study was to design and validate the leadership competencies scale in medicine.&#x0D; Methods: This research was conducted with a qualitative-quantitative approach. The research sample consisted of 12 physician managers in the qualitative stage and 15 people in the content validity evaluation stage using purposive sampling method. In the preliminary implementation stage of the questionnaire, 35 people were selected by convenience sampling and the main implementation stage of the questionnaire 306 students, faculty members, and medical graduate managers were selected using relative stratified random method. Qualitative data were collected by semi-structured interview and quantitative data by questionnaire. To analyze the qualitative data, the Esterberg analysis method was used, and to evaluate the construct validity, confirmatory factor analysis with Smart-PLS3 software was used. To evaluate the validity of quantitative data, content validity index, content validity ratio, Cronbach's alpha coefficient, convergent validity, and structural equation model fit indices were used. The criteria of credibility, transferability, dependability, and conformability were used using triangulation to evaluate the validity of the qualitative research data.&#x0D; Results: Competencies and parameters of the questionnaire were extracted into 17 competences and 123 concepts through the coding of interview texts and converted into a questionnaire in 101 items. The content validity of 100 items was valid. The results of factor analysis showed that the factor load of 99 items was valid and 17 components explained the structure of leadership competencies. Based on the fit indices of the model, the measurement scale of leadership competencies in medicine was valid in 17 components and 99 items. These components include perception and impression management, professional ethics, conflict management, problem solving, discipline, informal organization, public communication skills, interpersonal relationship skills, listening, cultural management, professional culture, innovation and creativity, motivation, emotional intelligence, change management, feeling management, participative management.&#x0D; Conclusion: Attention to the curriculum of leadership competencies in medical education and the application of this scale can improve the quality of leadership in the health system.

Environmental public health communication to engage stakeholders and foster social capacity in poorly involved communities living in industrial contaminated sites: the case study of Porto Torres (Italy)

This work aims to discuss the implementation of a communication plan as a key element of the epidemiological study to foster social capacity in the scarcely involved community of the industrial contaminated site of Porto Torres (Sardinia region, Italy). We established an inter-institutional working group committed to developing communication activities and materials ensuring multidisciplinary skills from social and communication sciences to collaborate with the environmental and health experts involved in the epidemiological study. The adopted methodological approach and communication strategy resulted in effective and successful engagement of local institutional and social actors in the design and implementation of targeted communication activities. Designing and implementing environmental public health communication processes with poorly involved communities residing close to industrially contaminated sites is critically important. In these areas, environmental noxious exposures associated with high health risks are frequently combined with low socioeconomic conditions. This calls upon mechanisms of environmental injustice, distributive and procedural, and emphasizes the need to prioritize interventions based on integrative strategies securing local communities' engagement through informed participation. Based on the lessons learned in this community-focused experience in Italy, we have identified key actions for suitable environmental public health communication to foster social capacity and promote procedural environmental justice in communities living in other industrial contaminated sites.