Sensemaking in Times of Crises: Journalistic Communication During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany

Our paper investigates journalistic risk and crisis communication in a digital environment during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, focusing on the interplay between news media and public health institutions. It emphasises the journalists’ role as sensemakers for providing accurate and trustworthy information to the public. In an explorative study, we interviewed 30 German journalists to understand their experiences in fulfilling this role and shed light on their processes of sensemaking. The research identified deficits and opportunities for improvement in governmental communication, emphasising the need for enhanced transparency and comprehensibility, coordination, and better access to information. It highlights the need to strengthen journalists’ competencies in handling data and scientific evidence and applying multimodal editing to support sensemaking during crises. The study also contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamic relationship between journalists and governmental institutions. The findings emphasise the value of further research to optimise this interplay, particularly in risk and crisis communication, to strengthen the media's role as key sensemakers.