Simplified Social Mediated Crisis Communication Model during Crisis in Indonesia: A Case Study on How Customers of Indonesia Commuter Line Train Company Seek Information on a Train Delay Due to the Double Track Trial on April 12, 2019
Abstract
This study explores how audiences seek information from internet and social media platforms, and considers what factors affect social media use during a crisis. The paper is based on research conducted via a survey involving 162 active followers selected from the 875,200 followers of the Indonesia Train Company: PT Kereta Api Commuter Line official Twitter account (Info Commuter Line @CommuterLine). The study proposes the Simplified Social Mediated Crisis Communication Model (SSMCC) as a variation on the original Social-Mediated Crisis Communication (SMCC) Model by Jin & Liu (2010). This variation is based on the argument that during a crisis, audiences located nearby typically rely on social media (usually accessed via a mobile phone) rather than a traditional media outlet when seeking information. This study concludes that some of the themes related to the use of social media to search for information during a crisis, and word of mouth (WOM) communication, are present in the Social-Mediated Crisis Communication (SMCC) communication model. This study also discusses the differences between the original SMCC model and the Simplified Social-Mediated Crisis Communication model proposed by the researcher. There was no evidence of an inactive social media user’s influence on information retrieval during a crisis; in addition, there is no role of traditional media as a source of information retrieval during a crisis. This research contributes to developing scientific knowledge and practices in Indonesia.
Keywords: crisis communication, social media, information search, simplified social mediated crisis communication model, social media followers
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