臺灣在災害管理上存在兩個理想與現實間的弔詭：即便事前相關部門已經預知災害風險，但往往需等重大災害發生後，才會採行積極的因應策略。再則，在河川治理上，多半採取工程導向之整治策略，而較少採兼顧環境協調的非結構式治理策略。本研究透過基隆河流域河川整治的經驗，以截彎取直計畫及員山子分洪計畫為分析主題，檢視重大災害事件、媒體議題設定、計畫爭議與計畫定案過程，說明媒體議題設定和上述兩個弔詭間的關係。本研究發現，大規模災害事件改變媒體議題設定，使得因應災害事件成為政治優先議題，加速早期懸而未決的災害治理方案之定案。而媒體對災害議題的形塑方式及傾向工程整治策略的報導方向，也強化政府工程導向整治策略的正當性。

In Taiwan, the government tends to take serious actions of hazard mitigation measures only after major disasters, even though some government agencies have already foreseen the impacts prior to the events. In addition, structural measures are widely adopted as the major solutions for flood mitigation. This might produce false consciousness of safety and, in turn, attract more population and assets to flood-prone areas than should be allowed. This study uses Keelung River straightening and Yuanshanzi diversion projects in Keelung River Flood Control Plan as the cases to examine the relationships among major disasters, media agenda setting, and policy making and to disclose the paradoxes mentioned above. The results show that major disasters did change media agenda setting and affect the government to prioritize hazard mitigation policies and even to accelerate the decision making process of controversial projects. In short, there are consistent tones between issue-framing of news reports and engineering-oriented solutions of flood mitigation.