The Media and C limate Change
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The Media and Climate Change James Painter, Reuters Institute, Oxford University [email protected] Oxford, 8 February 2014
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The Media and C limate Change . James Painter, Reuters Institute, Oxford University j [email protected] Oxford, 8 February 2014. Focus of Talk. The changing media context for climate change communication The media’s main narratives around climate change - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of The Media and C limate Change
The Media and Climate Change
James Painter, Reuters Institute, Oxford University
Oxford, 8 February 2014
Focus of Talk
The changing media context for climate change communication
The media’s main narratives around climate change
The presence of sceptics in the media
Cross-country differences
Digital revolution
Mobile Internet 70% of mobile traffic by 2014
Smartphones2.5 billion
connections by 2015
Video ~ 70% of
internet traffic by 2014
IP-enabled Devices
1.2 billion devices
connected by 2014
Consumption of news in UKUK television remains the most important and frequently-used
mode of news consumption by some margin compared to newspapers, radio or new media.
In 2013, nearly eight in ten (78%) adults said they used the television to access news, compared to four in ten saying they used newspapers; and the internet, either on a computer or mobile, by just under one-third (32%).
16-24s still prefer TV over online
UK viewers also rated television highly for accuracy, reliability and trust particularly compared to other sources (although broadsheet readers also rated their newspapers highly).
Source: Ofcom 2013
Source: Digital News Report, Reuters Institute, 2013
Who do people trust on climate science (UK)?
Four Frames: • Disaster/implicit risk: mention of adverse impacts such as sea level rise
• Uncertainty: ranges of projections, the presence of sceptical voices or duelling experts, and the inclusion of words like ‘may’, or ‘possible’
• Opportunity: move to low carbon economy, new shipping routes
• Explicit risk: use of the word ‘risk’, where the odds, or probabilities of something adverse happening were given, or where everyday concepts or language relating to insurance, betting, or the precautionary principle
Presence, Salience and Dominance of Different Frames
H. Doulton, K. Brown / Global Environmental Change 19 (2009) 191–202
Dominant Discourses in the UK quality print media, 1997-2007
Some issues to think about: Disaster
‘While there may be a role in climate change communication campaigns for fear messaging, most studies highlight the importance of positive, motivational messaging. Researchers stress the need for caution in using fear to communicate risk without a clear action strategy to reduce risk.’
‘Whitmarsh, L., O'Neill, S. & Lorenzoni, I. (2013). Public engagement with climate change: What do we know and where do we go from here? International Journal of Media and Cultural Studies 9, 7-25.
Some issues to think about: Uncertainty
Over 50% of the articles included a quote from a scientist or the report mentioning some aspect of uncertainty
Public understanding: ‘Research science’ versus ‘school science’: uncertainty does not mean ignorance
Nearly a third of all articles had sceptical voices within them
Australia (33%) had the most sceptical voices, followed by USA (24%), UK (20%)
