Events are turning dramatic at this moment. A third blast in the Fukushima nuclear plant has just been reported. Radioactive emissions are right now harmful for human health. Global picture is moving to a nuclear disaster.
In our goal to provide measurable insights of how this crisis is being monitored and transmitted by media to the global public opinion, we show in this new post the evolution of media perception about Japan’s nuclear crisis.
The following figures reflect the significative change of media perception about the Fukushima nuclear plant problems between the last two days. First measure refers to news about the first explosion in reactor unit 1. We compare its brand perception with news related to the second blast happened yesterday March 14th, in reactor 3. Second explosion news were reported with severe warnings about possible nuclear meltdown in reactor 2.
First brand vector refers to “Tragedy”. We observe a noticeable increase of association to Tragedy components. We find a substantial increase of the components harm and worst. Awful and horrible perceptions are also reinforced. Remember that as pointed out in the precedent posts, the media reputation of the Fukushima problems were quite stable during the days and hours around the first draft. This new media perception after the second explosion reflects a major shift of content in the nuclear crisis storyline.
We check how this modified media perception has affected other media reputation vectors reflecting bad image or reputation. We analize first vector “Scandal”.
We observe here also a substantial increase of media reputation association of the Fukushima issue to Scandal profile. There is a huge increase of association to mistake, harm and worrying. The relation with corruption tends also to increase, but a lower path.
Even if at this point reputation is a minor issue for TEPCO, Tokyo Electric Power, the facility owner, as health and security are the only relevant problems to solve at this juncture, the media evolution of the crisis ensures lasting damaging effects for TEPCO brand reputation.
The third media reputation vector chosen is “Coherent, Respected”. It refers to ethical related issues. As we have explained in precedent posts, the degree of association concerning this vector is neutral by itself. If it increases, it mainly indicates that the brand analized is confronted to relevant ethical issues. To evaluate if these issues are positive or negative in terms of media and brand reputation, a direct analysis of the news is required.
The results show again a clear change of trend in terms of media perception, as second explosion generates a huge increase of association to some components of the “Coherent, Respected” vector. Components specially sensitive are trust, ethical and fairness.
Japan VI. Fukushima Second Explosion Media Percpetion Compared to First Blast
Japan V. Japan Earthquake Media Impact by Cities
Japan IV. Fukushima Nuclear Crisis Media Coverage Evolution
Japan I. Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Vs Wikileaks: Media Coverage of Disasters
REPUTATION METRICS 
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Although I agree with those that have been suggesting means by which to avoid sgninficait exposure to radiation, I am highly critical of the way the media have exploited peoples already high levels of anxiety by further raising the fear level in people, effectively causing a global panic amongst western nations regarding nuclear power and radiation. I’m not a scientist or a student studying such matters, but I think if all of us took the time to look outside of the media everyone would discover that the media has overblown this situation. It is wonderful that the world has come together to help the people of Japan, but it is also extremely unfortunate that the media and governments the across the globe have effectively raised the levels of fear and anxiety, which have been blown out of proportion. When Gregory Jaczko announced before Congress that the government in Tokyo is not trustworthy, and Washington is, has left the world in a rather idiotic panic, scrambling for potassium iodide even in Miami. It is also unfortunate that Washington should discredit the Japanese governments 30km evacuation zone, by suggesting an 80km evacuation zone. Radiation levels in Tokyo are far below potentially hazardous levels (levels at which SOME people may experience nausea and headaches), and are lower than they would be in high elevation cities like Denver, or even Paris. In Tokyo radiation levels are below .20 microsieverts, while in a city like Denver radiation levels can be between .45 and .70 microsieverts. Radiation levels in a city like Chicago or Paris can be as high as .40 microsieverts. In other words its harmless. Even in areas just outside the 30km evacuation zone, radiation levels are sgninficaitly below potentially health effecting levels at below 5 microsieverts, which amounts to 50 banana’s. If you live in the middle of a banana plantation you are exposed to more radiation, in other words, again, harmless. People who fly regularly are exposed to far higher levels of radiation, anywhere from 100 to 300 microsieverts, depending on the length of the flight. The levels of radiation within the 30km evacuation zone, although differing sgninficaitly by area, are as of now lower than what one would expect to be exposed to on a trans-pacific flight. Reports of levels of radiation that are hundreds of times higher than normal levels fail to report that the levels of radiation that begin to cause potential health hazards are 250,000 microsieverts. Which, when we compare to the highest levels of radiation outside of the immediate vicinity of the power plant, 90-105 microsieverts, we see that the current panic is baseless and has effectively caused an unnecessary panic of hoarding and unnecessary traffic congestion. The government evacuated people when levels were still well below harmful levels, and to further note, below levels one would experience from a trans-pacific flight. The government has been remarkably transparent throughout this incident, there are plenty of private online live geiger counters to see levels across the Kanto area to prove that. We must also remember that people like Gregory Jaczko, who have caused this unnecessary panic, have known political leanings against nuclear power. Jaczko is not neutral, and has more interest in exploding the situation by scaring the people with the worst-case scenarios and of apocalypse, by shouting Chernobyl; which is just disgusting. Then the media followed suit. The likes of CNN and Fox, have created a firestorm of panic, both unnecessary and dangerous. I’m not suggesting blindly following the Tokyo’s announcements, but on this occasion I think there is greater reason to believe that the government has been highly transparent. I ask those that are believing the announcements being made in Washington or Paris to evacuate areas up to 80km; why would you trust someone in Paris or Washington, who are not being fed immediate and accurate information from those at the plant this very minute, over those in Tokyo who are?