This is the topic of my research project for my MA in Professional Communication from Royal Roads University.
At no time have people been more concerned about sustainability than they are now. We read and hear about environmental sustainability, corporate sustainability, sustainable development, and building sustainable communities. The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change published on October 30, 2006, forecast that human impact on climate change could result in damage to economic growth on the scale of the great wars and the economic depression in the last century. It was followed by stories based on an article in the journal Science projecting that global fish and other seafood stocks could completely collapse by 2048 if they continue to be lost at their present rate.
A recent Angus Reid poll called Canadians Question Government on Environment shows that 71% of Canadians do not think the federal government is doing enough on pollution and climate control, and in another Angus Reid poll, Environment Becomes Key Concern in Canada, 26% of Canadians say the environment is their top issue when it comes to the next national election, beating all other categories.
How are mass media framing sustainability? How does media coverage relate to the original concept of “sustainable development” proposed by a United Nations commission nearly 20 years ago? The World Commission on Environment and Development issued the Brundtland Report in 1987, saying “sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Is there evident bias in how mass media report on sustainable development––in how the issue is framed? If there are biases in how mass media frame issues of sustainability, what are they?
In particular, how do the National Post and The Globe and Mail, which respectively are viewed as being Canada’s conservative and liberal national newspapers, frame sustainability and sustainable development? Do they cover the same stories? What are their biases, if any? How do they differ? How are they similar? What sources do they use? The underlying hypothesis of this research is that coverage and sources differ between the two newspapers, with the National Post slanted toward conservative stories highlighting business and economic impacts, and citing government and business sources, while the The Globe and Mail takes a more liberal stance, and cites more non-governmental organizations and environmentalists.
This research will shed light on the framing of sustainability in Canada’s national newspapers so that readers are aware of what is covered and how it is covered. The media play a huge role in setting agendas and framing the news, and citizens will benefit by becoming more discerning consumers of what they read.
Posted by Paul at January 31, 2007 09:30 PM