摘要:The present article investigates two questions: What determines citizens’ use of differentmedia to seek information in a crisis situation, and what influences their evaluation of theinformation found. The case analysed is a major fire at a chemical storage facility in theharbour of Halmstad in Sweden, where there was a risk of toxic fumes reaching the cityand its approximately 60,000 inhabitants. The study is part of a larger project, financedby the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, and in this part, focus group interviews areanalysed. The results point to an interaction between citizens’ perception of the world,the perceived information, and the development of how the situation is regarded, wheresensemaking is the pivotal concept.
关键词:crisis communication; media use; sensemaking; focus groups; Halmstad; fire