Communicating in Germany about the Fukushima Accident: How Direct Encounter Beat Media Representations

Abstract

The Fukushima nuclear accident revived the question of whether current practices of technical communication can fulfill the needs of various audiences during a complex global crisis. In that context, the Institute of Nuclear Technology and Energy Systems in Stuttgart organized a public presentation on the technical aspects of the Fukushima nuclear accident. Its success indicates that direct encounter was preferred to media representations of the accident by Stuttgart's citizens. This event demonstrated that public presentation can provide a successful model for technical communication in situations of global sociotechnical crisis.

Keywords:

• Technical Communication
• Science and Technology Communication
• Expert-Public Communication
• Public Expertise
• Risk and Crisis Communication

Acknowledgements

The author thanks William Kinsella, Ashley Kelly, and the reviewers and editor for their comments on earlier versions of this essay.

Notes

1. The famous “ANGST, ANGST, ANGST …” Spiegel magazine cover of 12 May 1986 is often cited as an example of the tone of that coverage.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tudor B. Ionescu

Tudor B. Ionescu is with the Institute of Nuclear Energy and Energy Systems (IKE)