Media Bias and the Role of User Generated Contents in Crisis Management: a Case-Study about the Communication of the Hungarian Police Forces after 2016 Budapest Explosion

Abstract

The 2016 Budapest explosion occurred on 24 September 2016 when a young man detonated a nail bomb to kill two patrolling police officers. This case-study analyses the official communication of the Hungarian Police Forces focusing on the elapsed time until their first official reaction. I argue that the first 24 hours after the detonation are the most crucial, so working with speed and efficiency is important. I claim that the successful crisis management process takes not only the bias of mass media into consideration, but the influence of user generated contents and conspiracy theories as well. The application of a holding statement, designed to help controlling the message the public will hear immediately following an incident, is also essential.