The Role of Mass Media and Journalism in Risk Communication

In a risk society, risk communication is one of the most important aspects of risk management. Risk communication in democratic societies is an interactive exchange of information and opinions concerning risks and risk management among the risk assessors, risk managers, consumers and other interested parties, usually referred to as stakeholders, by different means of mass communication. The right-to-know and participate principle is nowadays enshrined in local, national, regional and international, and trans-national laws and regulations. But the precise role of mass media and journalism in nowadays “risk society” still remains to be determined and should be an active subject of research by the communication scholars.