Problems With Environmental Reporting: Perspectives of Daily Newspaper Reporters

Abstract

Research suggests that environmental reporting is plagued by omission of important information, too much emphasis on crises and conflicts, limited source use, and other shortcomings. Yet little research on how environmental reporters operate has been done, and not much is known about the difficulties they face. In this study, long interviews were conducted with 20 environmental reporters on daily newspapers to determine their perspectives and insights on problems in environmental reporting. Data analysis involved constant comparative coding of interview transcripts. Results suggest that there is a convergence of numerous problems in this beat, rather than any single, overriding problem.

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Notes on contributors

Erika Archibald

Erika Archibald is an assistant professor in the Department of Language and Literature at North Georgia College and State University, Dahlonega.