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4. Internet press freedom and online crisis reporting: The role of news web sites in the SARS epidemic

  • Alice Y.L. Lee
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The Social Construction of SARS
This chapter is in the book The Social Construction of SARS

Abstract

This chapter examines the role played by news Web sites during the SARS crisis in two regions that have different degrees of Internet press freedom. Six online news sites in Hong Kong and mainland China were selected for investigation. The findings indicate that the news sites in Hong Kong, which enjoy a high degree of Internet press freedom, acted as “interactive crisis managers” and contributed in a number of ways to the management of the SARS crisis in the community. On the contrary, the news sites in mainland China, which are restricted by media censorship, served as the government’s “online agent of containment.” The findings also show that the news sites in both regions were able to offer efficient warnings, timely education, and a network of support during the crisis because of the unique characteristics of the Internet medium. However, due to the constraints on Internet press freedom, the Chinese sites were unable to take full advantage of the Internet medium to play a positive role in the management of the crisis.

Abstract

This chapter examines the role played by news Web sites during the SARS crisis in two regions that have different degrees of Internet press freedom. Six online news sites in Hong Kong and mainland China were selected for investigation. The findings indicate that the news sites in Hong Kong, which enjoy a high degree of Internet press freedom, acted as “interactive crisis managers” and contributed in a number of ways to the management of the SARS crisis in the community. On the contrary, the news sites in mainland China, which are restricted by media censorship, served as the government’s “online agent of containment.” The findings also show that the news sites in both regions were able to offer efficient warnings, timely education, and a network of support during the crisis because of the unique characteristics of the Internet medium. However, due to the constraints on Internet press freedom, the Chinese sites were unable to take full advantage of the Internet medium to play a positive role in the management of the crisis.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Part I. Constructions of SARS in Hong Kong
  5. 1. Hong Kong's multiple constructions of SARS 17
  6. 2. A hero story without heroes: The Hong Kong government's narratives on SARS 33
  7. 3. "SARS" versus "atypical pneumonia": Inconsistencies in Hong Kong's public health warnings and disease-prevention campaign 53
  8. 4. Internet press freedom and online crisis reporting: The role of news web sites in the SARS epidemic 69
  9. Part II. Constructions of SARS on the Chinese mainland
  10. 5. Party journalism vs. market journalism: The coverage of SARS by the People's Daily and Beijing Youth News 93
  11. 6. Construction of nationalism and political legitimacy through rhetoric of the anti-SARS campaign: A fantasy theme analysis 109
  12. 7. SARS discourse as an anti-SARS ideology: The case of Beijing 125
  13. Part III. Constructions of SARS in Singapore and Taiwan
  14. 8. "Triumph over adversity": Singapore mobilizes Confucian values to combat SARS 145
  15. 9. Singapore at war: SARS and its metaphors 163
  16. 10. Reporting an emerging epidemic in Taiwan: Journalists' experiences of SARS coverage 181
  17. Part IV. Cross national constructions of SARS
  18. 11. Newspaper coverage of the 2003 SARS outbreak 203
  19. 12. Effects of rationality and story attributes on perceptions of SARS perception 223
  20. Index 241
https://doi.org/10.1075/dapsac.30.06lee

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Part I. Constructions of SARS in Hong Kong
  5. 1. Hong Kong's multiple constructions of SARS 17
  6. 2. A hero story without heroes: The Hong Kong government's narratives on SARS 33
  7. 3. "SARS" versus "atypical pneumonia": Inconsistencies in Hong Kong's public health warnings and disease-prevention campaign 53
  8. 4. Internet press freedom and online crisis reporting: The role of news web sites in the SARS epidemic 69
  9. Part II. Constructions of SARS on the Chinese mainland
  10. 5. Party journalism vs. market journalism: The coverage of SARS by the People's Daily and Beijing Youth News 93
  11. 6. Construction of nationalism and political legitimacy through rhetoric of the anti-SARS campaign: A fantasy theme analysis 109
  12. 7. SARS discourse as an anti-SARS ideology: The case of Beijing 125
  13. Part III. Constructions of SARS in Singapore and Taiwan
  14. 8. "Triumph over adversity": Singapore mobilizes Confucian values to combat SARS 145
  15. 9. Singapore at war: SARS and its metaphors 163
  16. 10. Reporting an emerging epidemic in Taiwan: Journalists' experiences of SARS coverage 181
  17. Part IV. Cross national constructions of SARS
  18. 11. Newspaper coverage of the 2003 SARS outbreak 203
  19. 12. Effects of rationality and story attributes on perceptions of SARS perception 223
  20. Index 241
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