Field Notes: Information acquisition during crisis
The question.
How do we adapt our media strategy to meet information needs during a crisis?
Why this matters.
During acute shocks, the "journey to trust" collapses. We learned this when the June 2025 Iran-Israel conflict occurred during the data collection period of our research.
We found that in crisis mode, YouTube is rarely the first destination for updates. Audiences migrate to lighter, faster channels like Telegram for speed.
If we treat YouTube (or other long-form or time-intensive formats) like a breaking news wire, we arrive late with the wrong content shape. By the time a careful video lands, narratives have already hardened elsewhere.
What we're exploring.
We are treating YouTube as the "trust anchor" rather than a live-update feed. In crisis mode, we switch the goal to synthesis:
- Clarity over speed: Leading with what is confirmed, what is unconfirmed, and what is explicitly false.
- Modular proof: Creating low-bandwidth, forwardable "proof frames" (like screenshots or short text cards) on Telegram that link back to the durable YouTube explainer.
- Timestamps: Using visible timestamps and disciplined uncertainty language to manage shifting certainty.
More questions for you.
- How do you communicate "what we don't know yet" without undermining your authority?
- Are there other best practices for crises?
We would love to hear your thoughts on these. You can reach us at hello@gazzetta.xyz.
You can download the full report here.