TikTok Platformization: How Mainstream News Organizations Covered a Natural Disaster on TikTok—A Case in Vietnam

This research examines how three Vietnamese state-run media outlets (e.g., Dan Tri, Thanh Nien, and VTV24) adapted their disaster reporting for TikTok during Typhoon Yagi. Using mixed-methods content analysis of 571 videos from September 2024, this study investigates the relationship between platform-specific adaptations and audience engagement in crisis communication. Findings demonstrate that outlets employing TikTok-native features achieved significantly higher engagement rates. The research extends disaster marathon theory to social media contexts and provides empirical evidence for optimizing crisis communication on algorithm-driven platforms. Results indicate that effective disaster communication on TikTok requires balancing journalistic integrity with platform optimization.