Exploratory study on media in crisis communication

Disasters interfere with the functioning of society as a whole, such as pandemic diseases, natural, industrial, and terrorism-based disasters, as well as prolonged societal and political crises, and require rapid, proactive response. The news media occupies the central point of the management of crises, disseminating vital information, influencing public mood, and helping decision-making in emergency decisions. Nevertheless, concerns persist regarding the management of information in crises, propaganda, and the devaluation of public trust. This article examines critically the complex dynamics of media across the crisis management cycle-preparation, response, mitigation, and recovery-with a focus on global perspectives and also narrows down to the Indian context, drawing on a crisis communication framework and news media theories, and proposing a model of communication focused on crisis ethics and technological factors.