Social Campaign as a Tool for Government Crisis Communication in Social Media in the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland Cover Image

Kampania społeczna jako narzędzie rządowego komunikowania kryzysowego w mediach społecznościowych w pierwszym roku pandemii COVID-19 w Polsce
Social Campaign as a Tool for Government Crisis Communication in Social Media in the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland

Author(s): Anna Lusińska, Ewa Miłoszewska -Podrażka, Anna Kalinowska-Żeleźnik
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Social Sciences, Media studies, Governance, Communication studies, Sociology, Politics and communication, Methodology and research technology, Health and medicine and law, Social Informatics, Environmental interactions
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
Keywords: social campaign; political communication; government crisis communication; COVID-19 pandemic; social media

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the article is to identify the social campaign used as a tool for government crisis communication in social media in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland and to attempt to analyse and evaluate the information provided through advertising spots dedicated to the COVID-19 pandemic in the light of Internet users’ opinions. Quantitative and qualitative research methods were used, including source studies, media content analysis, desk research and case study. The authors put forward the thesis that by means of selected spots aired as part of the social campaign conducted by the Ministry of Health, during the first year of the pandemic in Poland (from March 4, 2020, to March 4, 2021), this Ministry tried to inform and educate the public about safety and public health measures implemented to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The results of the research showed the government’s lack of experience in using new media channels in crisis communication, which caused a fierce public discourse in social media, for which the rulers were not prepared. The discourse in Polish society, emerging from the comments of users of selected social media on the information provided through advertising spots dedicated to the COVID-19 pandemic, stimulates and encourages action, arousing anxiety due to the disruption of the established information order. We can discuss its potential to generate changes, on condition that social information campaigns are carefully prepared.

  • Issue Year: 2023
  • Issue No: 3 (255)
  • Page Range: 103-125
  • Page Count: 24
  • Language: Polish