An Assessment of Transportation Issues under Exceptional Conditions: The Case of the Mass Media and the Northridge Earthquake

This study explores how the mass media covered transportation issues following the 1994 Northridge earthquake. The mass media were a vital channel for travel information, and they provided considerable information to the public about the safety of travel, alternative routes, and new travel modes. Using a methodology known as content analysis, it was found that the broadcast media also presented considerable detail and imagery about devastation to the transportation system at large. This study concludes that an alternative to the commercial mass media may be useful, since the implication from this research is that a vital part of disaster recovery rests in the dissemination of balanced transportation news and stories.