Online, offline, or word-of-mouth? Complementary media usage patterns and credibility perceptions of nuclear energy information in Southeast Asia

Many Southeast Asian countries are considering the adoption of nuclear energy to meet the rising energy demands and achieve energy efficiency. Considering the emerging regional salience of nuclear energy, this study seeks to understand the public’s media consumption patterns regarding nuclear-related information, and credibility perceptions of nuclear-related information sources in countries that are at a nascent stage of nuclear development. Focus groups were conducted with citizens aged between 18 and 69 from five Southeast Asian countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Overall, the findings suggest that the participants utilize communication channels in a complementary manner to receive and seek nuclear-related information. Participants also evaluated the credibility of individuals and organizations that convey nuclear-related information based on their trustworthiness and nuclear expertise. The findings provide practical implications in terms of policy implementation, as well as public communication of nuclear-related information. Directions for future research were also discussed.