Title: Twitter as a communication tool in the Germanwings and Ebola crises in Europe: analysis and protocol for effective communication management

Authors: Carles Pont-Sorribes; Guillem Suau-Gomila; Salvador Percastre-Mendizábal

Addresses: Journalism Studies of the Communication Department of Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), Roc Boronat Street, 138, 08018, Barcelona, Spain ' Communication Department of Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), Roc Boronat Street, 138, 08018, Barcelona, Spain ' Department of Catalan Studies and Communication, University of Lleida (UdL), Plaça Víctor Siurana, 1, 25003, Lleida, Spain

Abstract: We investigated Twitter communications by the media and institutions regarding two emergency situations which had a major impact in Europe: the accident of Germanwings Flight 9525 in the French Alps on 24 March, 2015, and Ebola infection of Teresa Romero, a nursing assistant at the Hospital Carlos III in Madrid, reported on 6 October, 2014. Our methodology was based on a new tool called top discussion indicator (TDI). Our results indicate that media and institutions do not exploit all the possibilities offered by Twitter. We propose a decalogue of recommendations aimed at improving use of Twitter and ensuring greater communicative efficacy.

Keywords: emergency communication; public institutions communication; media information; twitter; Europe; Ebola emergency; Germanwings emergency; mixed methods; TDI; top discussion indicator; decalogue of recommendations.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEM.2020.110106

International Journal of Emergency Management, 2020 Vol.16 No.1, pp.22 - 40

Received: 04 Oct 2018
Accepted: 04 Nov 2019
Published online: 06 Oct 2020 *

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