Title: The Power of Communicative Strategies - A Multimodal Analysis of MSB´s Risk Communication to the Public In an era marked by increasing uncertainties and risks, effective communication from authorities has become crucial. This study examines the risk communication on Myndigheten för samhällsskydd och beredskaps (MSB) official website through a multimodal analysis method. By focusing on both textual and visual elements on the website, the study aims to critically examine how risks are constructed, communication is formulated, and recipients are portrayed. The analysis of the MSB´s website reveals significant use of logically structured communication, appealing to individuals with an avoidant approach to risk communication. However, emotional elements also emerge in the communication to serve those requiring a more reality-based understanding of risks. This balance between logical and emotional communication suggests a presumption by MSB that recipients may be alarmed and thus prone to irrational action. Furthermore, the study shows that MSB assumes a pedagogical role in its communication, indicating an authoritarian relationship between the agency and the public. This authoritarian tone, coupled with a lack of interactivity, implies a transmission view of communication, where the agency is regarded as an expert conveying facts to a passive recipient. Lastly, regarding the construction of risks, the term "risk" is downplayed to avoid alarming, while an emotional message reinforces the sense of reality and possibly fear. This communication strategy challenges the agency's assumptions about recipients and emphasizes the need to adapt communication to appeal to a heterogeneous audience. By clarifying and analyzing these aspects of MSB's risk communication, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics between authorities and the public in a digital age characterized by ever-increasing uncertainties and risks.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:umu-223010 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Lundgren, Linn, Hoff, Linn |
| Publisher | Umeå universitet, Institutionen för kultur- och medievetenskaper |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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