Media coverage volume and expert risk perception in risk assessment: the moderating role of domain expertise

Abstract

This study aimed to empirically analyze the impact of media coverage volume on experts’ risk perception and examined whether domain expertise moderates this relationship. Given the crucial role of expert perception in national disaster management and risk assessment, the study assessed the relationship between total media coverage volume, changes in coverage, and expert risk perception across 50 risk types over the past 5 years using multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that total media coverage volume and recent changes significantly influenced experts’ risk perception, particularly in risk type selection. This suggests that experts, like the general public, may rely on the ‘availability heuristic.’ For risks outside their domain of expertise, experts were significantly influenced by media coverage volume, demonstrating that expertise moderates the relationship between media coverage and risk perception. These results highlight the need for balanced consideration of media influence in risk management and disaster policy formulation. They also underscore the importance of further research incorporating variables such as experts’ values, experiences, and organizational roles. This study advances theoretical understanding of risk perception mechanisms and provides strategic insights into the role of media coverage in risk management and disaster policy.