The Relationship between Local Residents and Media during the Recovery:Lessons from “Star Disaster-Affected Areas” in Taiwan

Abstract

When a disaster occurs, some affected areas attract more media attention than others, and obtain more resources as a result. The problem of such unequal distribution is considered to arise from unidirectional interaction between information senders (e.g., media) and receivers (e.g., local residents). To resolve this problem, we conducted interviews to examine the concept of “star disaster-affected areas” and the relationship between media and local residents of two disaster-affected areas in Taiwan: Shiaolin Village and Huashan Village. We found that increased interaction for improving the situation between stakeholders (residents, media, government, and supporters) benefits and accelerates the post-disaster recovery.