Media Coverage of Climate Change in Chile: A Content Analysis of Conservative and Liberal Newspapers

Abstract

Media influence public awareness through agenda setting and framing of news by selecting what is published, how frequently and through what frames. This content analysis compares portrayals of climate change based on political ideology of the media. It examines daily coverage of climate change in Santiago, Chile by the conservative, El Mercurio, newspaper, and the liberal, La Nación. Twenty percent of the 1,628 articles published in 2003, 2005, and 2007 which included the words “cambio climático” (climate change) or “calentamiento global” (global warming) were analyzed for frequency, content, images, and frames. The liberal newspaper published twice as many articles that were twice as long, with four times as many illustrations about climate change. They presented more thematic and diverse frames than the conservative newspaper. Government sources and conflict frames dominated both newspapers, reflecting some similar maturation processes of climate change coverage found in Europe, the United States, and elsewhere.

Keywords:

• Chile
• Climate Change
• Content Analysis
• Global Warming
• Media
• Newspaper
• Politics

Acknowledgements

With great sadness we recognize the death of our coauthor and friend, Lynda Lee Kaid, professor of Telecommunication and University of Florida Research Foundation Professor in the College of Journalism and Communications. Her passing is a tremendous loss to the field of communications. This study was partially funded by the University of Florida Center for Latin American Studies and the Tinker Foundation. We thank R. Espinoza and A. Reyes for research assistance in Chile, and B. Chen for additional assistance. We are grateful to M. Leslie and two anonymous reviewers for helpful manuscript review. We thank S. Depoe for valuable editorial suggestions.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Devin M. Dotson

Devin M. Dotson is the Marketing and Online Communications Associate at American Rivers, Washington, DC

Susan K. Jacobson

Susan K. Jacobson is a Professor in the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida

Lynda Lee Kaid

Lynda Lee Kaid (Deceased 13 April 2011) was a Professor of Telecommunication in the College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida

J. Stuart Carlton

J. Stuart Carlton is a doctoral candidate in the School of Natural Resources & Environment and the Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation, University of Florida