Comparative analysis of the media coverage of Hurricane Sandy and of twelve silent disasters

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

January 29th, 2013

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Comparative analysis of the media coverage of Hurricane Sandy and of twelve silent disasters

RED CROSS / EU OFFICE International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Chemin des Crts, 17 | 1209 Petit Saconnex | Geneva | Switzerland Gina Guinta ECHO-RCRC Communications Campaign Manager Public Communications Tel +41 (0)22 730 4323 | Mob. +41 (0)79 217 3381 | Fax +41 (0)22 733 0395 Email: gina.guinta@ifrc.org

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Table of contentsMethodology .........................................................................................................5 1. Volume comparisons ........................................................................................61.1 Highlights .................................................................................................................... 6 1.2 Proportion of the combined media coverage for each selected disaster ............ 7 1.3 Handout ....................................................................................................................... 8

2. Top international news stories of 2012 ...........................................................10 3. Top environmental stories and natural disasters.............................................11 4. Twitter .............................................................................................................124.1 Volume comparisons ............................................................................................... 114.2.1 Wordcloud ........................................................................................................................................13 4.2.2 Country distribution ..........................................................................................................................13 4.2.3 Top sources by number of tweets* ...................................................................................................14 4.2.4 Some of the most retweeted ............................................................................................................15

4.2 Hurricane Sandy in the USA.................................................................................... 13

4.3.1 Wordcloud ........................................................................................................................................16 4.3.2 Country distribution ..........................................................................................................................16 4.3.3 Top sources by number of tweets* ...................................................................................................17 4.3.4 Some of the most retweeted ............................................................................................................18

4.3 Hurricane Sandy in the Carribean .......................................................................... 16

4.4.1 Wordcloud ........................................................................................................................................19 4.4.2 Country distribution ..........................................................................................................................19 4.4.3 Top sources by number of tweets* ...................................................................................................20 4.4.4 Some of the most retweeted ............................................................................................................21

4.4 Sahel and Burkina Faso food insecurity................................................................ 19

4.5.1 Wordcloud ........................................................................................................................................22 4.5.2 Country distribution ..........................................................................................................................22 4.5.3 Top sources by number of tweets* ...................................................................................................23 4.5.4 Some of the most retweeted ............................................................................................................24

4.5 Uganda epidemics.................................................................................................... 22

4.6.1 Wordcloud ........................................................................................................................................25 4.6.2 Country distribution ..........................................................................................................................25 4.6.3 Top sources by number of tweets* ...................................................................................................26 4.6.4 Some of the most retweeted ............................................................................................................27

4.6 Bangladesh tropical storm ...................................................................................... 25

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4.7.1 Wordcloud ........................................................................................................................................28 4.7.2 Country distribution ..........................................................................................................................28 4.7.3 Top sources by number of tweets* ...................................................................................................29 4.7.4 Some of the most retweeted ............................................................................................................30

4.7 Cambodia floods and food insecurity .................................................................... 28

4.8.1 Wordcloud ........................................................................................................................................31 4.8.2 Country distribution ..........................................................................................................................31 4.8.3 Top sources by number of tweets* ...................................................................................................32 4.8.4 Some of the most retweeted ............................................................................................................33

4.8 Southern Africa and Lesotho food insecurity ....................................................... 31

4.9.1 Wordcloud ........................................................................................................................................34 4.9.2 Country distribution ..........................................................................................................................34 4.9.3 Top sources by number of tweets* ...................................................................................................35 4.9.4 Some of the most retweeted ............................................................................................................36

4.9 Mongolia extreme cold............................................................................................. 34

4.10.1 Wordcloud ......................................................................................................................................37 4.10.2 Country distribution ........................................................................................................................37 4.10.3 Top sources by number of tweets* .................................................................................................38 4.10.4 Some of the most retweeted ..........................................................................................................39

4.10 Burundi returnees from Tanzania......................................................................... 37

4.11.1 Wordcloud ......................................................................................................................................40 4.11.2 Country distribution ........................................................................................................................40 4.11.3 Top sources by number of tweets* .................................................................................................41 4.11.4 Some of the most retweeted ..........................................................................................................42

4.11 Ecuador floods ....................................................................................................... 40

4.12.1 Wordcloud ......................................................................................................................................43 4.12.2 Country distribution ........................................................................................................................43 4.12.3 Top sources by number of tweets* .................................................................................................44 4.12.4 Some of the most retweeted ..........................................................................................................45

4.12 Tajikistan earthquake............................................................................................. 43

4.13.1 Wordcloud ......................................................................................................................................46 4.13.2 Country distribution .....