1Lecturer, Department of Mass Communication, University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman
2Associate Professor, Department of Electronic Media and Mass Communication, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India
*Corresponding author email id: joshua.riju@gmail.com
Online published on 20 September, 2021.
Twitter has emerged to be among the primary sources of health information during public health emergencies (PHE). Mass media and health authorities use Twitter for breaking news and providing instant updates during PHEs and crises. The role of media and social media during health emergencies are continually monitored for emerging trends and themes. New Delhi and its surrounding region are among the most polluted regions in the world. In 2019 October – November, the AQI index in the Delhi region continuously peaked to the severe plus category, and PHE was declared for bad air quality. The study analyzed how traditional news media used Twitter for communicating 2019 New Delhi PHE. Content analysis of tweets (N-349) by English news media revealed that the health crisis was presented as a political agenda, lacked prominence, and mentioned fewer expert data. The study provides inputs about the themes, prominence in coverage, risk communication patterns, and the public's response to news tweets.
Agenda setting, Content analysis, Risk communication, Public health emergency, Twitter
