Exploring the Content of News Articles on the Possible Istanbul Earthquake

Abstract

The paper aims to analyze the relationship between crisis communication, media dependency, and the possible Istanbul earthquake. This study also highlights the crucial role of earthquake journalism in enhancing public safety and awareness. Misleading or overly reassuring content can lead to society being unprepared for scientific realities and may undermine trust in authorities. Social media, in particular, poses significant risks during crises due to its rapid spread of misinformation and false news. Therefore, journalists, scientists, and politicians should act responsibly, considering their influence on society. This study examines a total of 92 news articles published between 2020 and 2024 on the Sabah (n=40) and Sözcü (n=52) newspaper websites, filtered by the keyword "possible Istanbul earthquake". In the Sözcü newspaper, 408 subcategories were identified, while in Sabah newspaper, 305 subcategories were found. The main research question addresses how news regarding a possible Istanbul earthquake is presented in online newspapers. Additionally, the study aims to identify potential issues in news presentations and to achieve results beneficial to society. For this purpose, two ideologically different online newspapers were selected as cases. In conclusion, while the approaches to potential earthquake news are common, the Sözcü news site was found to have more news assigning responsibilities.