德國社會學家Ulrich Beck於1980年代提出”風險社會”是現代社會的重要特徵之後，人們對於風險的認知及如何採取因應風險的策略，便成為各學門研究的焦點。以傳播學門而言，研究風險知識知識傳播過程的相關文獻持續增加；不過本研究認為過去文獻多以政府和企業應對危機為主，對於大眾媒體的運作方式及應改進之道，仍待深化。因此本研究以新聞媒體的內容及運作方式為研究焦點，期能理解媒體工作者如何再現及傳播風險知識，並試圖解釋在風險社會下的新聞報導為何表現不如學者期待，亦即存在何種理論與實務的落差。

Since Ulrich beck invented the theory of "risk society"; his writings has attracted interests of academic groups, including communication department. But even Beck place emphasis of functions of mass media in the risk society, Beck himself and communication researchers seldom surveyed the practice of reporting on risk in depth. In order to make up the failure the above-mentioned, this text review the theory of "risk society", and probe into the practice of reporting on risk with content analysis and interview in-depth methods, mainly to understand the reasons generated gaps between of theory and practice of reporting on risk.