Understanding how local newsrooms cover disasters is crucial for improving the information communities rely on. In our latest research, we analyzed news coverage from western NC in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene - examining the most covered topics, the availability of actionable disaster information, and the originality of reporting through text analysis of local stories a month after the storm. Huge thanks to Jessica Mahone for her invaluable guidance, Sarah Vassello for making the piece alive online, and Briana Edwards and Ella Feathers for their excellent support - grateful for this collaboration.
?? New Research: When Hurricane Helene struck Western North Carolina, local news was there. Our latest CISLM report found that in the immediate aftermath, original local reporting produced 77% of articles published rather than republished from wire services. 84% of local newspaper articles about Hurricane Helene included actionable information on critical topics like: ??? Roadways & transportation (53%) ? Power restoration (45%) ?? Where to get food & water (38%) Over the course of a disaster and its recovery,?journalists often transition from disseminators of fast, factual information in an emergency to accountability reporters. Following natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, and storms, journalists raise accountability questions to authorities about prevention and response actions. ?? By Local News Researcher Yanan Sun, read the full report on CISLM.org ?? #LocalNews #DisasterResponse #JournalismMatters #HurricaneHelene #MediaResilience