Re: International Conference on Communications - IAEA

["J. J. Rozental" <joseroze@netvision.net.il>]

Dear Sandy.

Your point on:

> Many of us communicate our ideas at "graduate degree" levels.
> However, the general population communicates at a "6th grade
> level only." There is a disconnect here. While you may not agree,
> example after example was provided, where the local populations
> were seriously lost and distrusting of those who spoke to them in
> terms they simply didn't understand.
>
> To further support this notion that one must communicate at the
> same level that the recipient can understand was when I took
> media communication training as part of my accountability to
> communicate risk information, release information and other
> pertinent information to the media and regulatory bodies as part of
> the utility emergency organization.

was one of the principal key objectives of the IAEA TECDOC 1076 -
Communications on nuclear, radiation, transport and waste safety. What
communication should seek to achieve, what to communicate, to whom, when and
how; and how to know whether communication is succeeding were exhaustively
discussed in three Consultants Meeting.
I could understand when you mention, "one must communicate at the same level
that the recipient can understand" that understanding one's audience allows
one to be proactive instead of reactive, that's increasing communication
effectiveness and minimizing misunderstanding. This is very important,
especially if communication should be made during a radiological or nuclear
emergency, when questions sometimes are unexpected, beyond the imagination.
I could give to RADSAFERS several examples of such questions, that happened
during my activities as General Coordinator in the Radiological Accident in
Goiania, and the principal Brazilian  Regulatory Authority spokesperson in
that city and then for  five years there, dealing with the post accident
programme.

Jose de Julio Rozental
joseroze@netvision.net.il
Israel

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