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Abstract
This study explores the coverage of environmental issues in South African broadcast media, focusing on patterns, frames, and source representation, applying agenda-setting and framing theories. Employing a content analysis methodology, 360 prime-time news segments from three major broadcasters – SABC, eNCA, and Newzroom Afrika – were analyzed between July 2023 and June 2024. The findings revealed that climate change dominates coverage, accounting for 32% of environmental reporting, followed by natural disasters (21%) and water issues (17%). Economic and policy frames were the most prevalent, highlighting financial impacts and regulatory measures, while health perspectives were underutilized. Government sources were cited most frequently (44%), with limited representation of scientists, NGOs, and local communities, which comprised only 10% of sources. Coverage exhibited a mixed tone, balancing optimism about solutions with urgency about challenges. Despite a focus on global narratives, local environmental issues and grassroots perspectives were underrepresented, indicating a disconnect between media reporting and the lived experiences of South Africans. The study underscored the need for more inclusive and diverse coverage, advocating for the integration of scientific insights and community voices. These findings offered practical implications for media practitioners, policymakers, and environmental communicators, emphasizing the importance of balanced reporting to foster public engagement and informed policy discourse. This research provided a foundation for future studies on environmental journalism, especially in the context of developing countries, and highlighted the potential for media to act as a catalyst for environmental awareness and action.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Zanele Mokoena, Lindiwe Nkosi
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References
- Anderson, A. (2015). Media, Environment and the Network Society. Palgrave Macmillan.
- Bornman, E. (2016). Environmental reporting in South African print media: The case of The Star and the Mail & Guardian. Journalism, 17(8), 1066-1083. https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884915585962
- Boyatzis, R. E. (1998). Transforming qualitative information: Thematic analysis and code development. Sage Publications.
- Boykoff, M. T. (2011). Who Speaks for the Climate? Making Sense of Media Reporting on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press.
- Boykoff, M. T., & Boykoff, J. M. (2007). Climate change and journalistic norms: A case-study of US mass-media coverage. Geoforum, 38(6), 1190-1204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2007.01.008
- Boykoff, M. T., & Boykoff, J. M. (2004). Balance as bias: global warming and the US prestige press. Global Environmental Change, 14(2), 125-136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2003.10.001
- Boykoff, M. T., Goodman, M. K., & Curtis, I. (2010). Cultural politics of climate change: Interactions in the spaces of everyday (media) life. In M. T. Boykoff (Ed.), The Politics of Climate Change (pp. 136-154). Routledge.
- Carvalho, A. (2007). Ideological cultures and media discourses on scientific knowledge: re-reading news on climate change. Public Understanding of Science, 16(2), 223-243. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662506066775
- Cousins, B., Cousins, T., & Hornby, D. (2010). Socio-economic dimensions of conservation in the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany global biodiversity hotspot. South African Journal of Science, 106(11/12), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajs.v106i11/12.354
- Entman, R. M. (1993). Framing: Toward clarification of a fractured paradigm. Journal of Communication, 43(4), 51-58. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1993.tb01304.x
- Ferdous, S., & Khatun, M. (2020). News coverage on environmental issues: A Study on print media of Bangladesh. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science (IOSR-JHSS), 25(4), 53–59. https://doi.org/10.9790/0837-2504085359
- Gauntlett, D., Rossouw, G., & Naidoo, P. (2020). Renewable energy in South Africa: Opportunities for developing sustainable livelihoods. Energy Policy, 144, 111632. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111632
- Goffman, E. (1974). Frame analysis: An essay on the organization of experience. Harvard University Press.
- Haluza-DeLay, R., & Davidson, D. J. (2021). Climate change and television news in South Africa: a comparative analysis of media representation. Environmental Communication, 15(6), 792-806. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2021.1921573
- Hansen, A. (2010). Environment, media and communication. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203864362
- Krippendorff, K. (2018). Content analysis: An introduction to its methodology (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
- Maharaj, B., & Rampersad, R. (2018). Radio coverage of environmental issues in South Africa. Environmental Communication, 12(4), 485-499. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2017.1412995
- McCombs, M. E., & Shaw, D. L. (1972). The agenda-setting function of mass media. Public Opinion Quarterly, 36(2), 176-187. https://doi.org/10.1086/267990
- Musvoto, C., Nortje, K., & De Lange, W. (2016). Environmental sustainability reporting in South Africa. South African Journal of Science, 112(5/6), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2016/20150457
- Nisbet, M. C. (2009). Communicating climate change: Why frames matter for public engagement. Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, 51(2), 12-23. https://doi.org/10.3200/ENVT.51.2.12-23
- Neuendorf, K. A. (2017). The content analysis guidebook (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
- Olausson, U., & Berglez, P. (2014). Media and the climate change conundrum: Re-visiting the role of journalism in the public sphere. Environmental Communication, 8(2), 142-160. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2014.886084
- Painter, J. (2014). Climate Change in the Media: Reporting Risk and Uncertainty. I.B. Tauris.
- Retief, F., Bond, A., & Pope, J. (2019). Sustainable development goals and the environmental impact assessment community. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 37(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1080/146155
- Shehata, A., & Hopmann, D. N. (2012). Framing climate change: A longitudinal analysis of news media coverage in Sweden. Environmental Communication, 6(2), 183-200. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2012.665604
- Tandwa, L. (2017). Framing environmental issues in South African newspapers: A critical analysis. South African Journal of Science, 113(3-4), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2017/a0231
References
Anderson, A. (2015). Media, Environment and the Network Society. Palgrave Macmillan.
Bornman, E. (2016). Environmental reporting in South African print media: The case of The Star and the Mail & Guardian. Journalism, 17(8), 1066-1083. https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884915585962
Boyatzis, R. E. (1998). Transforming qualitative information: Thematic analysis and code development. Sage Publications.
Boykoff, M. T. (2011). Who Speaks for the Climate? Making Sense of Media Reporting on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press.
Boykoff, M. T., & Boykoff, J. M. (2007). Climate change and journalistic norms: A case-study of US mass-media coverage. Geoforum, 38(6), 1190-1204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2007.01.008
Boykoff, M. T., & Boykoff, J. M. (2004). Balance as bias: global warming and the US prestige press. Global Environmental Change, 14(2), 125-136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2003.10.001
Boykoff, M. T., Goodman, M. K., & Curtis, I. (2010). Cultural politics of climate change: Interactions in the spaces of everyday (media) life. In M. T. Boykoff (Ed.), The Politics of Climate Change (pp. 136-154). Routledge.
Carvalho, A. (2007). Ideological cultures and media discourses on scientific knowledge: re-reading news on climate change. Public Understanding of Science, 16(2), 223-243. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662506066775
Cousins, B., Cousins, T., & Hornby, D. (2010). Socio-economic dimensions of conservation in the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany global biodiversity hotspot. South African Journal of Science, 106(11/12), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajs.v106i11/12.354
Entman, R. M. (1993). Framing: Toward clarification of a fractured paradigm. Journal of Communication, 43(4), 51-58. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1993.tb01304.x
Ferdous, S., & Khatun, M. (2020). News coverage on environmental issues: A Study on print media of Bangladesh. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science (IOSR-JHSS), 25(4), 53–59. https://doi.org/10.9790/0837-2504085359
Gauntlett, D., Rossouw, G., & Naidoo, P. (2020). Renewable energy in South Africa: Opportunities for developing sustainable livelihoods. Energy Policy, 144, 111632. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111632
Goffman, E. (1974). Frame analysis: An essay on the organization of experience. Harvard University Press.
Haluza-DeLay, R., & Davidson, D. J. (2021). Climate change and television news in South Africa: a comparative analysis of media representation. Environmental Communication, 15(6), 792-806. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2021.1921573
Hansen, A. (2010). Environment, media and communication. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203864362
Krippendorff, K. (2018). Content analysis: An introduction to its methodology (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
Maharaj, B., & Rampersad, R. (2018). Radio coverage of environmental issues in South Africa. Environmental Communication, 12(4), 485-499. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2017.1412995
McCombs, M. E., & Shaw, D. L. (1972). The agenda-setting function of mass media. Public Opinion Quarterly, 36(2), 176-187. https://doi.org/10.1086/267990
Musvoto, C., Nortje, K., & De Lange, W. (2016). Environmental sustainability reporting in South Africa. South African Journal of Science, 112(5/6), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2016/20150457
Nisbet, M. C. (2009). Communicating climate change: Why frames matter for public engagement. Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, 51(2), 12-23. https://doi.org/10.3200/ENVT.51.2.12-23
Neuendorf, K. A. (2017). The content analysis guidebook (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
Olausson, U., & Berglez, P. (2014). Media and the climate change conundrum: Re-visiting the role of journalism in the public sphere. Environmental Communication, 8(2), 142-160. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2014.886084
Painter, J. (2014). Climate Change in the Media: Reporting Risk and Uncertainty. I.B. Tauris.
Retief, F., Bond, A., & Pope, J. (2019). Sustainable development goals and the environmental impact assessment community. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 37(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1080/146155
Shehata, A., & Hopmann, D. N. (2012). Framing climate change: A longitudinal analysis of news media coverage in Sweden. Environmental Communication, 6(2), 183-200. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2012.665604
Tandwa, L. (2017). Framing environmental issues in South African newspapers: A critical analysis. South African Journal of Science, 113(3-4), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2017/a0231