NEWS
Adopting An Effective Stage-Based Management Model for the Crisis… A Study at UoB: Based on Well-Studied Plans, Bahrain Has Succeeded in Managing the Corona Crisis Through the Media The National Campaign Used the Methods of Transparency in Conveying Facts and Reassurance
Sakhir – University of Bahrain (Ali Al Sabbaq)
17 June 2023
A scientific study at the University of Bahrain (UoB) confirmed that the national campaign to address the emerging corona virus succeeded in using the media in crisis management, which appeared through the sustainability of the implementation of effective media plans during the pandemic.
The study showed that the campaign’s communicators adopted the media model to manage this health crisis by promoting and spreading awareness and preventive instructions, and applying media plans in various languages, through various printed, audio and visual media channels, based on scientific foundations.
The study was prepared by Hamad Ibrahim Al-Jaber, a student in the Mass Communications Master’s Program at the College of Arts, in completion of the requirements for obtaining a master’s degree. His thesis was titled: “Media Management of the Corona Pandemic Crisis in the Kingdom of Bahrain: The National Campaign to Combat the Coronavirus (COVID-19) as a Model.”.
The researcher used two tools in his research, which were interviews, and the analysis of the content of the television press conferences organized by the National Taskforce to Combat the Corona virus.
The results of the analysis found that the messages delivered by the National Taskforce in the conferences established the need for commitment, awareness, and self-protection from the threat of the pandemic in the audience, and that the communicator presented the messages using transparency in conveying facts, and reassurance as persuasive methods.
Al-Jaber said: “The study resultsshowed that the communicator created and followed up the implementation of the studied media plans, and informed the community of all plans, procedures and measures taken with full transparency and clarity, which constituted a source of great satisfaction and trust among the public.”.
An exam committee recently discussed the researcher in his thesis, and it consisted of Associate Professor of Public Relations at the College of Arts at UoB, Dr. Ashraf Ahmed Abdulmoghith, as an internal examiner, and Professor of Information at the College of Information and Communication at Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University, Professor Dr. Mohammed Suleiman Al-Subaihi, as an external examiner. The thesis was supervised by Assistant Professor of Media and Public Relations at the College of Arts at UoB, Dr. Maha Sami Al-Rashed.
The researcher stated “the results showed that the communicator realized the importance of changing logos in media campaigns from one period to another in Bahrain, to draw public attention to the importance of information and data that will be covered in press conferences, and to use slogans according to the requirements of each stage of addressing the pandemic.”.
Furthermore, the researcher recommended the continuation of the efforts exerted for strategic planning for crisis management based on preparing and training speakers – communicators – in press conferences of workers in all ministries and institutions in Bahrain, to be ready to deal with crises in the future.
He aslo called for the inclusion of courses in public and private universities in the field of media management of crises, and conducting studies concerned with studying the joint cooperation between the joint parties related to crisis management.
