Exploring the image of shipping as communicated by selected media in cases of emergency and crisis

Ioannis Theotokas Maria Lekakou Ilias G. Bissias (ReShip Laboratory, University of the Aegean)

The purpose of this study

To examine the press and web media coverage of important maritime accidents during the period 2008 to 2012. To determine whether incidents that have made the headlines in the maritime Media have also attracted the attention of the general Media. To focus on the ways that journalists have framed these events, elaborating mainly on their attitudes towards the shipping industry.

A Starting Point

In a recent interview Vice President Siim Kallas, stated that in regards to the attitude and role of the Media towards the shipping industry

we have to differentiate between general press and specialised press. The maritime transport related press presents a balanced and comprehensive picture. This might be different to the general press which seems to rather focus on larger scale events and incidents, unfortunately often tragic disasters and accidents.

Theoretical- Framework- The Role of The Media

News in leading media has been shown to significantly affect the image of personalities, companies, and organizations, as well as industries as a whole. Macnamara (2003) The masses generally rely on the media as the sole recourse to other sources of information about current events (Reza 2011). Media is understood to play an important role in shaping public perceptions of societal issues and solutions (Culey et al. 2010)

Frame Theory

Communicators such as journalists make judgments about what messages to send. As a result, the messages they send are frames which are manifested by the presence or absence of key words, phrases, images, or sources of information (Entman, 1993). Framing researchers have used various methods to document media frames ranging from words used, news stories and press releases (Miller et al., 1998) to actual message content (Ashley and Olson, 1998). Understanding framing can be beneficial to public relations practitioners by helping them as they try to better understand the ways that key stakeholders seek and process information during a crisis situation (Wetz et al. 2009)

The first ten days

According to a scientific experiment in Canada exploring public health risk framing, the results were suspiring: The dominant frames established in the first 10 days were not significantly different than those maintained throughout a full 1-year period following the event. This would indicate that a 10 day content analysis of press media should be sufficient to determine the dominant framing of a risk event over a longer time period. Dramatic shifts in science, changes in government policy, or other critical moments captured within the chronology of a risk event can provide cues as to how media presentations, and hence the dominant frames may change over the events life span. (Fewer et al. 2009)

Crisis Consequenses

We followed Driedger et al (2009) methodology and categorize crisis consequences in respect to a- major consequense(s), b- location of effect, c- previous or later cases of incidents and disasters for the company, d- deaths, e- health and/ or environmental and/ or economic consequences for local communities and companies involved. Our case studies involved death/ drowning in most cases, did not involve solely European waters, operators and/ or citizens and had minor environmental impact for local communities or economic after- effects for the company involved.

Media Content analysis

Media content analysis is a specialized sub-set of content analysis, a well-established research methodology. Neuendorf (2002) describes content analysis as the primary message-centred methodology (p. 9) (1997), Yale and Gilly (1988) reported that in the field of mass communication research, content analysis has been the fastest growing technique over the past 20 years or so

Case Studies: Events leading to a negative

image for shipping

The Astro Saturn arrest. In November 2008 a large amount of cocaine attached to the Astro Saturns hull was found by the Venezuelan Coasta Guard. After questionable- if not problematic- evidence and court proceedings both officers were sentenced to eight years in jail. The Maran Centaurus piracy attack. The ship had 28 crew members on board, (16 Filipinos, 9 Greeks, 2 Ukrainians and 1 Romanian. The Aegean Wind fire. The general cargo vessel Aegean Wind caught fire in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Venezuela on 25 December 2009. The fire resulted in the death of nine and the injury of five of the 24-member crew.

Case Studies: Events leading to a negative

image for shipping

The Costa Concordia disaster. On January 13, 2012, the Costa Concordia carrying more than 4,000 passengers and crew, hit a rock off the coast of Giglio, the ship capsized resulting in the death and/ or drowning of thirty-two passengers and crew. The sinking of a boat carrying illegal immigrants on the Aegean Sea. The disaster led to the death and/ or drowning of more than 60 passengers, most of them children. he pirate attack on the Jascon off the coast of Nigeria. On the 4th of August 2012 pirates attacked the Jascon. The pirate attack led to the killing of two Nigerian naval guards and the kidnapping of four foreign nationals.

Press Reported
Tabloid daily newspapers The Sun, sells on average of 2,751,219 The Daily Mirror, sells an average of 1,122,563 daily sales "Quality" daily newspapers The Daily Telegraph sells on average of 576,378 The Times has a circulation of 394,102 copies, the largest in London Business newspapers The Financial Times is Europes highest- selling English language business newspaper with an average daily circulation of 305.000 copies worldwide (the British edition has a daily circulation of 88.000 copies). FT.com has 4 million registered users and 250,000 digital subscribers, as well as 585,681 paying users

Procedures
Our research was conducted at three different levels: Reviewing manually relevant newspaper archives at the British Library News Archive in London, UK, Researching the NewsBank services archives hosted in the British Library Web reviewing through the Newspapers web archives.

Coding Scheme
The media analysis was based on all articles that focused primarily on the 5 events/ accidents/ incidents All 5 events made front page headlines and received considerable publicity in the specialised maritime and/ or local press. The initial research focused on articles that appeared in the above media from January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2012. Our primary examination followed the 10 day rule as analysed by Fewer et al. (2009).

Coding Scheme
The coding scheme for this exercise consisted of two parts: The first recorded whether the 5 topics under examination had been reported in the general media, The second noted, through the articles cited, recurring attitudes and perceptions towards the shipping industry.

Results
In total, we found 57 articles None was reported for the Aegean Wind None was reported on the sinking of the boat carrying illegal immigrants in the Aegean Sea None for the Astro Saturn arrest 5 on the Maran Centaurus 50 on the Costa Concordia disaster 2 on the Pirates attack in the Nigerian Delta

Data analysis- Extent of Coverage

Of the 57 articles, most were news articles (45 in total), and a limited number were opinions or comments (12 in the case of the Costa Concordia). None were editorials, special reports or special issues. 25 articles were front page in the case of the Costa Concordia. None were front page articles in the case of all the other events or incidents under examination. Indeed no other news line under our examination got front, inside front, inside back or last page coverage.

Data Analysis- Tones

Different tones were found in the vast majority of the three thematic categories. In respect to the Costa Concordia disaster, articles were mostly negative in tone towards both the company and its crew and neutral towards the shipping industry. As more factual information was gathered newspapers appeared mostly negative towards the shipping company and its crew but not against the shipping industry and its key players. The few Nigerian Piracy attack articles as well as the Maran Centaurus news stories focused on informational text and represented information that had no biased or subjective content and notions, all articles were neutral in respect both to the company and crew as and the shipping industry and cluster as a whole.

Discussion

The General Press does not follow a specific pattern or strategic and/ or emotional stand towards the maritime industry. We found a limited imbalance in the Medias approach, in favour of catastrophic and disastrous events and accidents in coastal shipping and the ferry industry, but not in the length and the extent as was initially anticipated. The Costa Concordia disaster made headline news but other catastrophic incidents or maritime accidents were either totally ignored by the general press or received limited attention. As anticipated the disaster took place in Europe, involved British passengers and Crew, and belonged to an international shipping company with strong links with the UK market. All framing and reporting of storylines were formulated and published within these 10 day time limits.

Discussion

The Medias coverage of events was indifferent towards the Press Statements of Companies or Organizations involved. No biased or sensationalist framing was reported in the hosting of comments or press releases by companies or organizations. Even when no Statements or Press Releases by the specific company involved appeared, the Press reported news according to information announced by public bodies and organizations. Press Releases by Public Bodies or Public Statements by authorities did not always receive the anticipated coverage. It is obvious that the Media does not follow or abide to the storylines developed by Press or Public Relations Offices but, on the contrary, frame news according to unspecified personal or professional judgements and according to their readers anticipation.

Limitations

A more extensive approach to more events and accidents or incidents of significant magnitude within the shipping community may be of importance: further research and analysis on leading newspapers and websites of other Member States of the EU, in particular those with a considerable maritime tradition may be of relevance to our findings. Five out of six of our selected events did not directly involve British citizens or territory, or Seas of the UK, or its neighbouring States. A further examination of maritime events, incidents or disasters that meet the above mentioned local criteria might also lead to further interesting and more conclusive results.

Conclusions

What makes headline news in the Maritime Press does not receive interest of the same magnitude in the General press. Journalists seem rather detached, if not indifferent, towards events that hinder the public image of shipping. The extremely limited reporting by the Press does not show any considerable or excessive bias on the part of the authors in their reporting. Coastal and ferry shipping seem to attract more attention. In all events examined, mixed tones and attitudes were mostly recognized. Contrary to general beliefs, sensationalism and alarmism were not reported as widespread in this survey.