Introduction

This paper addresses the hypothesis that, after 26 Dec. 2004, media coverage, and more specifically “new media,” affected students’ understanding of, and interest in, tsunamis. To test this hypothesis, 13 years of media reports on tsunamis were reviewed and 146 students surveyed regarding their knowledge of the phenomenon in the aftermath of the 11 March 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami.

*

Manuscript received 8 Apr. 2011; accepted 20 July 2011

doi: 10.1130/G127GW.1