The document discusses media dependency during the 2003 SARS outbreak in China. It summarizes that: 1) When the Chinese government banned news about SARS in early 2003, people turned to alternative sources like the internet and SMS to get information about the disease. Over 40% of people got information from sources other than mainstream media. 2) As SMS reports were initially treated as rumors, people sought confirmation on the internet, where similar reports were spreading. This showed a shift from SMS to increased dependency on the internet for SARS information. 3) The theory of media system dependency was seen in practice, as individuals relied on media systems like the internet for health information when the traditional media was restricted.

1. Media dependencies in a changing
media environment: the case of the
2003 SARS epidemic in China
Prepared by Jay Tan

2. Introduction
• Examines the role of • In particular, how the
internet and new Chinese people
communication responded to a major
technologies: public health crisis:
– shifting traditional – Various alternative
media dependency communication
relations resources were looked
– creating brand new into; internet and other
dependency relations new communication
technologies

3. The 2003 SARS Outbreak
China’s Southern Beijing and
Global epidemic
Guangdong other regions in
crisis
Province the country

4. News were BANNED
• Reporters and editors
were told to disregard any
news related to SARS
• Government officials
First known SARS News only got banned the release of
through:
SARS-related stories for
• 16 November • 11 February
2002 2003 fear of derailing its top
priorities
– Promoting economic
development
– Attracting foreign
investment

5. Media System Dependency
“A relationship in which the capacity of
individuals to attain their goals is contingent
upon the information resources of the media
system” (Ball-Rokeach 1985, p.487)

6. The use of Media System Dependency
in the 2003 SARS outbreak
November 2002
No media coverage No information available
Late January 2003
Word-of-mouth SMS
February 2003
8 Feb; 40 million SMS 9 Feb; 41 million SMS 10 Feb; 45 million SMS

7. The use of Media System Dependency
in the 2003 SARS outbreak
• SMS was treated as hoax
• People then seek confirmation about the SMS;
the shift from SMS to Internet
• In popular internet ‘chatrooms’ and foreign
media, similar news were spread
• The internet and SMS emerged as viable
alternatives for information

8. The use of Media System Dependency
in the 2003 SARS outbreak
14.2%
From the Internet
19.4%
Got the information from talking to
others
56.7%
Heard it from others
More than 40%
Sources other than mainstream media

9. The use of Media System Dependency
in the 2003 SARS outbreak
The theory of media system dependency was
seen, as people depended on media system such as
the Internet to get their information regarding the
disease.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTIaj_LDuRY

10. Key Take Outs
• It is likely that the Internet was the main
source for information in regards to SARS
• To strengthen this statement, 20.1 million
United States residents used the Internet as a
source for information (Levins 1998, cited in
Patwardhan & Yang 2003, p.60).

11. Recent Health News
• New SARS cases in China spreads online
http://ntdtv.org/en/news/china/2012-02-
24/Rumors-of-New-SARS-Cases-in-China-
Spread-Online.html
– People were seeking confirmation on major
websites.
– A reminder of how officials handled the 2003
SARS outbreak.

12. Activity: Class discussion
• In your opinion, what sort of communication resources
would you deem credible for a situation like SARS?
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditio
ns/japanese-encephalitis.shtml
• Where do you usually seek information on health?
• What roles journalists should play in relation to health
news online?
• What sort of information do you trust online?
• Which one of the two resources (Internet or SMS) do
you most frequently use to communicate?

13. Thank You

14. References
Ball-Rokeach, S 1985, The Origins of Individual Media-System Dependency: A sociological Framework,
Communication Research, vol.12, no.4, pp.485-510.
BBC, 2012, Japanese Encephalitis, BBC, n.d., viewed 1 October 2012,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/japanese-encephalitis.shtml.
NTD Television 2012, Rumours of New SARS Cases in China Spread Online, NTD Television, 24 February,
viewed 1 October 2012, http://ntdtv.org/en/news/china/2012-02-24/Rumors-of-New-SARS-Cases-in-
China-Spread-Online.html.
Patwardhan, P & Yang, J 2003, Internet Dependency Relations and Online Consumer Behaviour: A Media
System Dependency Theory Perspective on Why People Shop, Chat and Read News Online, Journal of
Interactive Advertising, vol.3, no.2, pp.57-69.
Presutti, C 2011, For Many People, First the Doctor’s Office, Then the Web, video, YouTube, 13 April,
viewed 30 September 2012,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTIaj_LDuRY.
Tai, Z & Sun, T 2007, Media Dependencies in a Changing Media Environment: The Case of the 2003 SARS
Epidemic in China, New Media Society, vol.9, pp.987-1009.