Presentations Layout Sinaia 2012 Iosif

7/28/2019 Presentations Layout Sinaia 2012 Iosif

1/22

Project LLP nr. 10-EIP-RO BUCURES 09

How do the media communicate

the environmental problems?Iosif Botetzagias, Assistant Professor

Department of Environment,

University of the Aegean, Greece,[email protected]


2/22


Do environmental problems exist?

TIME magazine (writing

about Cuyahoga river in

August 1969):

Anyone who falls into the Cuyahoga

does not drown, he decays.

YET.There had been 13 fires over

the last 100 years, and the

1969 was a minor one. So,

why did it get such a cover?

1969

1952


3/22


The mass media affect us but how?

Mass society : the public are like sponges, absorbinganything the media offers.

The hypodermic model: Media = needles, infusing certainmessages into the publics mind- and the latter reacts in

predictable ways. Uses and gratifications theory : why does the public

choose to use the media?

1. Surveillance: I want to know whats going on (I feel more

secure)2. Personal identity: TV characters as role-models

3. Relationships with the media (e.g the elderly) & Buildingrelationships around the media (e.g.family watching)

4. Diversion, fun, chill out


4/22


Critical theory

Political economy: Medias operation is

conditioned by economic interests (e.g. ownership,

advertising, competition etc.)

Structuralism: Its not whatthe media talk

aboutthat is important, but howthey talk aboutit

(the role of symbols or signs).

Cultural studies: Interpreting those signs is a

cultural process which depends on the communal

and personal beliefs.


5/22


How do environmental issues make it

to the media? Some thingsjust happen! (Fukushima nuclear

accident)

Environmental journalists do existand they have

to make a living! (environmental beat).

Yet, most often, it is notthe journalists who

discover a topic- topics come knocking on thejournalists door!

I refer to Press releases and, all more common,

media information packs.


6/22


7/22Project LLP nr. 10-EIP-RO BUCURES 09

How do the media choose the news?

Gatekeeping not everything is published/broadcasteda) The role of economic (adverts) & political interests

b) The policy (e.g. Youth-oriented channel) and the ideologyof the media.

c) What is newsworthy?7 basic principlesabout events1. Impact: Are many people affected?

2. Timeliness: Is it fresh news?

3. Prominence: Is it about someone famous?

4. Proximity: Is it about us (village, town, country)?

5. Bizarreness: Man bites dog

6. Conflict: Is there dispute, tension, violence?

7. Currency: Is it related with what is already at front stage?



Environment as news

Events are in constant and vigorous competition forspace and time in the media.

Environmental events are at a disadvantage since:

They (mainly) have a highly scientific and technicaldimension- thus are not easily comprehensible by thepublic.

The media prefer dramatic and confrontational events-

not slowly evolving controversies.

Thus any coverage of environmental events will besporadic.

Yet, is there a pattern of coverage over time?



0

20

40

60

80

100

N

umberofArticles

KathimeriniClimate Change Global Warming Sum

0

20

40

60

80

100

NumberofA

rticles

Eleftherotypia

0

20

40

60

80

100

/

/

/

/

/

/

NumberofArtic

les

Ta Nea



0

20

40

60

80

100

N

umberofArticles

KathimeriniClimate Change Global Warming Sum

0

20

40

60

80

100

NumberofA

rticles

Eleftherotypia

0

20

40

60

80

100

/

/

/

/

/

/

NumberofArtic

les

Ta Nea

G8 Summit,

Gleneagles, UK3rd IPCCreport JohannesburgSummit



Downs issue attention cycle (1972)

The publics attention on an env. topic goes through a 5-stages cycle:

1. Pre-problem stage: few know of the problem, fewer worry about it.

2. Alarmed discovery & euphoric enthusiasm: dramatic events bring the

problem to the fore the public feels sure that it will be dealt with now

that it has become known.

3. Realizing the cost of significant progress: Realizing the necessary

changes (and the costs entailed) cool down the publics enthusiasm

4. Gradual decline of interest: People get discouraged, annoyed or bored

5. The post-problem stage: The problem fades away from centre

stage as new problems move in. Sporadic resurgence of concern.

Interest not as low as in 1st phase, now there exist specialized actors

dealing with the problem



Climate Change in the Greek press

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Eleftherotypia Kathimerini Ta NEA Total



How do the media present the

environmental news? After a topic/event is selected for being reported,

the journalist must organize its presentation:

1. Select the sources.

2. Select data and quotes.

3. Set up a story around the topic/event.



On Sources and Data

Sending pretty Press Releases does not guaranteeyou will get published.

Preferred sources are those which the media

consider trustworthy mainly the governmentand scientists.

National newspapers usually dont prefer ENGOs

or grassroots orgs (local newspapers differ) Thus, in big newspapers coverage will more likely

be objective (focus on quantitative data) rather

than subjective (values, quality of life etc.)



Number of articles and actors involved in the Greek public

debate concerning CC (2001-2008)

Eleftherotypia Kathimerini Ta Nea

N of articles referring to a public debate 266 110 87

N of unique individuals referred to in the articles 136 78 67

affiliated with*: Organizations (of which %): 80 43 45

Political Parties 8.8% 9.3% 11.%

Government 25.0% 37.2% 11.1%

NGOs 10.0% 9.3% 17.8%

Research bodies 16.3% 23.2% 26.7%

Business 10.0% 18.6% 20.0%Participatory venue 5.0% 0% 6.7%

Other

(of which: Unions/Grassroots)

20.0%

(80%)

2.3%

(0%)

6.7%

(33%)


16/22


On setting the story

Most media informants,

offer an all-inclusiveinterpreting package

for any given topic.


17/22


Media Packages (Gamson & Modigliani 1989)

At its core each package has a central idea, or

frame.

Each frame supports a series of kindred positions

on the topic.

The package also includes a number of symbols

which communicate its frame and position in an

easy way.

Packages have to develop and accommodate new

developments if they are to survive (e.g.

Chernobyl Fukushima)


18/22


Packages have signatures

a set of elements that suggest its core frame and

position in a shorthand fashion (e.g. the Domino-

effect for the Vietnam war)

These elements are:

1. Framing devices

Ways of perceiving the topic

2. Reasoning devices

Justifying/supporting the packages

main position.


19/22


Framing devices (e.g. GMOs) Metaphors: imagined events(Pandoras box; Hybris)

Exemplars: historic antecedents (Dollythe sheep)

Catch-phrases:Frankenstein food

Depictions: characterizing opponents/supporters

(The Sorcerers Apprentice)

Images: visuals which suggest the

packages core


20/22


Reasoning devices

Roots: what causes the problem? (The

industries greed; the capitalist system)

Consequences: what will flow from different

policies? (if GMOs are allowed all traditional

crop varieties will become extinct)

Appeal to principles: what is the moral

reasoning for a certain policy? (GMO-food

must carry a label cause I have the right to

know what I am eating)


21/22


The success of each package

depends on

Its Cultural resonance- how does it fit with

general cultural models (e.g. is progressassociated withPrometheus or Frankenstein?).

Its Sponsors: those who promote it in the media

(through interviews, articles etc.)

YET ALSO the Medias practices: trustworthy

sources, hierarchy of sources, balance and

objectivity, journalists own values and agenda.


22/22

Project LLP nr 10 EIP RO BUCURES 09

So, how do the media influence us?

The press may not be successful much of the time in telling

people what to think, but it is stunningly successful in telling

its readers what to think about. The world will look

different to different people, depending on the map that is

drawn for them by writers, editors, and publishers of the

paper they read(Cohen, 1963).

Documents

Presentations Layout Sinaia 2012 Iosif