Objective a) To perform a content analysis in all four countries -Russia, Belarus Sweden, Norway, of the printed mass media (newspapers) and Internets news bulletin coverage of the Kursk accident and the incident occurring May 5th 1998 in Murmansk;b) To investigate authority sources and journalist's point of view on how to inform the public in radiological emergencies, exemplified by two incidents involving nuclear submarines. This will be studied for authority sources and journalists by use of an interview or postal questionnaire. A special focus will be on how to enhance the trust among the public in official information. Evaluation of coverage in other countries will be gathered. c) To arrange workshops in which relevant authority spokespersons and journalists will be brought together discuss these issues.Description of the research activities:The proposal has three main parts:1) To establish the mass media "coverage" in four countries of two selected incidents involving radiological emergency aspects (one incident in Murmansk May 5th 1998, the Kursk accident August 12th 2000);2) To survey "relevant" authorities and journalists about "the optimisation of the risk communication process towards the public" in situations similar to these two incidents. What "went wrong", what was "effective" in they way them themselves participated in the coverage? Then confront them with and ask to comment on the material gathered in 1) and two give their "recommendations" for areas of improvement;3) Bring authority spokespersons and journalists together to discuss the differences and similarities in their objectives and roles. Using output from part 2 as input to the seminars (the major focus to have these seminars in NIS countries, not in INTAS).Expected results:1. By action research try to work with, and try to enhance the interaction between authorities, journalists and the public within the field of radiological emergencies;2. Three scientific articles (2 in Russian and 1 in English) and information materials for journalists;3. The project ongoing content and results will be continuously made available at an Internet site rented for this purpose;4) The extensive study of authorities spokespersons and journalist will give further insight into the process of emergency risk communication in the media in NIS countries.The findings about the authority sources, how they use mass media for their purposes, and in turn how the journalist applies them will shed more light on the interactive process between the authorities, the mass media and the public. Programme(s) IC-INTAS - International Association for the promotion of cooperation with scientists from the independent states of the former Soviet Union (INTAS), 1993- Topic(s) 7 - Economics, Social and Human Sciences OPEN - OPEN Call Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme Data not available Coordinator Radiation Medicine Department EU contribution No data Address Kirkeveien 166 0407 Oslo Norway See on map Total cost No data Participants (3) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Institute of Radiation Hygiene Russia EU contribution No data Address Mira street 8 197101 St. Petersburg See on map Total cost No data Medical Educ.Inst. and Belarus-Dutch Health Info. Centre Belarus EU contribution No data Address Lange street 5 246000 Gomel See on map Total cost No data University of Göteborg Sweden EU contribution No data Address Sprangkullsgatan 21 405 30 Göteborg See on map Total cost No data