Bridge the Information Gaps

Active listening can help determine when audiences may find different ideas about nuclear technology most interesting. For example, community leaders and residents concerned with electricity prices will be interested in learning more about how nuclear energy helps to energize homes, business and communities. Audiences interested in health and wellness may be surprised to learn how nuclear medicine brings life-saving radiotherapy treatments to hospitals. People may know little about the nuclear techniques that help bring better crops to market or supply clean water to villages. Connecting relevant applications of nuclear technology to people’s lives conveys nuclear’s tangible social and economic benefits.

The International Nuclear Safety Group issued its report, Stakeholder Involvement on Nuclear Issues, INSAG-20 and explained:

“A significant attribute of a good communication programme is the desire among all parties to establish and maintain constructive two-way interaction. A primary goal should be for each participant to listen to and understand the concerns, issues and questions articulated by each side and address those relevant concerns in a manner that is as responsible and understandable as possible.”

By building relationships with different audiences, communicators can increase the potential for audiences to effectively inform each other. Lack of information does not mean that people are ignorant or unwilling to discover new things. Most people only pay attention when they hear about immediate, breaking news. Therefore, it is better to assume an audience knows relatively little – positive or negative – about any particular topic. In many cases, they may not have previously thought about the topic. Communicators must respect their audiences and acknowledge their intelligence. Listening and integrating audience feedback into communication activities demonstrates the intention to pursue two-way interaction.

Plain language approaches to writing also send strong signals to audiences that nuclear programme representatives want to work with the public. Even scientific risk assessments can be expressed without jargon. By responding to stakeholder perspectives on key topics in clear and concise ways, communicators can develop meaningful communication products that are understandable by people without technical backgrounds. As people have positive experiences learning about nuclear energy, they are more likely to share this information among their own networks, including with colleagues, friends and family.

Build Confidence Early in the Programme

Projects that succeed early in building stakeholder relationships often increase the likelihood that the public and the operating industry will cooperate over the facility’s operational lifespan. Initial efforts help to create a general sense of confidence in nuclear science and technology. By establishing this confidence in the formative stages of a nuclear programme, practitioners lay the groundwork for more complex collaborative discussions on economics, industrial growth, energy strategy, environmental impact and social justice.

Influence Long and Short Term Goals

Prioritizing audiences depends on the stage of the effort and the knowledge of key stakeholders. The prevailing opinions and decision-making processes will evolve over time and across local and national jurisdictions. Well-structured communication plans establish short- and long-term goals. They also use proven research methods. Research activities, such as using content and sentiment analysis, in-depth interviews, focus groups and surveys to establish a baseline of attitudes and characterize attributes of key relationships, are an important tool for listening to audiences,. Early research provides a snapshot in time that can be monitored and reassessed to show the impact of different communication activities.