Environmental Reporting in Ethnic Magazines: Implications for Incorporating Minority Concerns

ABSTRACT:

Survey research indicates that levels of environmental concern among ethnic minorities are high, yet there is little actual participation by non-Whites in environmental organizations. One explanation for this apparent paradox is that environmental issues are not framed in such a way as to appeal to ethnic minorities. In this study, we compared articles appearing in two culturally specific magazines—Nuestro (predominantly Hispanic readership) and Ebony (predominantly Black readership)—with those appearing in the Saturday Evening Post. About twice as many environmental articles appeared in the Post than in either Nuestro or Ebony, and the articles in the Post focused more on the physical environment. The articles in Nuestro and Ebony focused on social and economic factors (economic development or opportunity, ethnic identity, and civil rights) related to the environment. The results suggest the importance of communicating environmental information and framing environmental problems and proposed solutions in ways that address the broader social and economic concerns of ethnic minorities and other social groups.