A Preliminary Study on Effects of Social Media in Crisis Communication from Public Relations Practitioners’ Views

Studies on effects of social media on crisis communication is scarce. This study sought to bridge this gap in research and provide insights for organizations to use in managing crisis communication today. The data for this preliminary study is based on interviews of public relations professionals and case histories of Malaysia Airlines MH 370 crises. It was found that social media substantially accelerated the need for crisis communication by altering the practice of crisis communication, from how crises is reported and managed by organizations. This study also proposed strategies that organizations can implement to prepare for managing the social media element of a crisis.