•In 1979, the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor malfunctioned, releasing radiation into the environment. There were no immediate deaths or injuries resulting from the incident; however, the accident drew much media attention and created concerns in the local area and beyond. The major forms of communication used to report these events were the three major television networks and local radio stations. •In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the New Orleans area and immersed a significant part of the city in water. Local citizens and their families were affected. In contrast to the Three Mile Island incident, newer communication technologies, such as the Internet, were used to disseminate information.