الملخص الإنجليزي
This study aims to identify the communication strategies used by Government Communication
Centre to combat the Covid-19 crisis, based on content analysis of the Government
Communication Centre's account on the X platform in the pre- phase and the account of the
national campaign 'Oman VS covid19' on the X platform in the two phases during and after the
crisis. Additionally, the study aims to highlight the most prominent challenges that faced the
Government Communication Centre during its communication management of covid 19 crisis.
The study utilized on Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication model and the Communication
Grid Tactics model. The study relied on the media survey methodology to achieve its objectives
and answer its questions, by employing content analysis tools, and semi-structured interviews.
The study concluded that the Government Communication Centre employed several
communication strategies during their communication management for Covid 19 crisis. Among
these, the strategies that excelled were information strategy and clarify government action strategy.
Other strategies included persuasion strategy, dialogue strategy, consensus building strategy,
reducing ambiguity strategy, promote effective healthy behaviors strategy, empathy and
encouragement strategy, warning messages strategy, correct rumors and misunderstanding
strategy, providing advice and recommendations strategy and assurance strategy. The study
affirmed the diversity of communication activities in each phase of the crisis. In pre-phase, the
communication activities included preparation messages, and warning messages. In initial and
maintenance stages, the communication activities were including minimizing uncertainty,
reinforcing self-efficacy, and reassurance messages. Communication messages during the decision
phase involved discussions about causes and new risks, as well as updates on solutions.
Furthermore, during the evaluation phase, messages involved discussions primarily about response
adequacy and agreement on lessons learned.
The study highlighted the diversity of multimedia and languages used in the posts published by
Government Communication Centre. Moreover, about (98%) of these posts were created by the
ذ
Government Communication Centre. The audience engagement with these posts varied
significantly, ranging from likes, retweets, and comments. Audience sentiments in their comments
differed based on the crisis's temporal phases. At the beginning of the crisis, comments tended to
be neutral. Then the comments were shifting to negative comments in the middle of the crisis, and
concluding with predominantly positive comments towards the end. The study identified key
challenges faced by the Government Communication Centre in their communicative management
of the COVID-19 crisis, including workload pressure, understaffing, unclear data from the higher
committee, and delays in receiving news.
The study recommended the development of a comprehensive national crisis communication
strategy and the establishment of an integrated crisis communication team led by the Government
Communication Centre. This team should include specialized official spokespeople from various
fields to effectively engage with public inquiries on social media platforms. Additionally,
enhancing cooperation with influencers and stakeholders on social media, and emphasizing the necessity of diversifying communication messages across all crisis stages were recommended.
