greek journalists acting as interpreters of … journalists as...greek journalists acting as...

Greek Journalists acting as Greek Journalists acting as InterpretersInterpreters

of Environmental Issuesof Environmental Issues

SkanavisSkanavis11, C. , C. GiannoulisGiannoulis11, Ch.,, Ch., and Botetzagias Iand Botetzagias I22..

Presentation for the 8Presentation for the 8thth European Sociological Association (ESA) conference, European Sociological Association (ESA) conference,

Glasgow, 3Glasgow, 3--6 October 20076 October 2007

11 Environmental Communication and Education Research Centre. Environmental Communication and Education Research Centre. Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, MytileneMytilene, , Greece.Greece.

2.2.Research Research CeCentrentre forfor Environmental Policy & Environmental Policy & StrategicStrategic Environmental ManagementEnvironmental Management Department of Environment, University of the Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Aegean, MytileneMytilene, Greece., Greece.

19/11/200719/11/2007 ESA 8th ConferenceESA 8th Conference 22

Environmental JournalismEnvironmental Journalism

Developed in the early 1980s as a response to public’s increasing demand for media coverage of the emerging environmental dangers.

The most demanding challenge of environmental journalism is the actual presentation of all aspects of an environmental issue.


Environmental JournalistsEnvironmental Journalists’’ RoleRole

•• Mediator / Mediator / InterpreterInterpreter

•• Environmental Environmental EducatorEducator


Environmental Issues/ProblemsEnvironmental Issues/Problems

Variety & Complexity

presenting and interpreting information in a form that can be easily understood and acted upon is

critical

Interpretation can shift the importance of the consequences of environmental exploitation to

other causes than the true ones, and as such could be abused by the political arena…


53%53%Percentage of articles in doubt as Percentage of articles in doubt as to the cause of global warmingto the cause of global warming

636636Article in the popular press aboutArticle in the popular press aboutGlobal warming during the Global warming during the previous 14 yearsprevious 14 years

0%0%Percentage of articles in doubt as to the Percentage of articles in doubt as to the cause of global warmingcause of global warming

928928ΝΝumber of Peer Reviewed Articles umber of Peer Reviewed Articles dealing with dealing with ““climate changeclimate change”” published published in scientific journals during the previous in scientific journals during the previous 10 years10 years

Source: Gore, Al. 2006


Critics Critics of Environmental Journalismof Environmental Journalism

lack of context,confusing story framing, coverage with insufficient information, an emphasis presented that differs from reality, reports of events rather than issues, a focus on conflict or entertainment, an inclusion of solutions to environmental problems, use of traditional news sources, simplistic stories that don’t make larger connections, coverage that is crisisoriented,the making of science as more certain than it really is, a reliance on press releases, a lack of long-term coverage, coverage that lacks locality,and stories that sell rather than inform.


Challenges Challenges for Environmental Journalismfor Environmental Journalism

news traditions, advertiser pressure, management policy, editors, space, time, finances, complexity of the environment beat,the relationships the environment has with other beats, translation of scientific or technical information,reporting repercussions, the uncertainty of the environment, disagreement between sources on the facts, the need to find the new,competition with other news, education of journalists who report about the environment, and the advocate versus objective role on the environmental beat


In GreeceIn Greece

Very little research is made about how journalists Very little research is made about how journalists make their way through the maze of challenges make their way through the maze of challenges associated with communicating and interpreting associated with communicating and interpreting

environmental issues and/or problems.environmental issues and/or problems.

ObjectivesObjectivesIn the recognition that all interpretation is valueIn the recognition that all interpretation is value--laden, the question that arises is:laden, the question that arises is:

Whose values are being interpreted to whom and by Whose values are being interpreted to whom and by whom and for what reason. whom and for what reason.


Research QuestionResearch Question

1a. What views do Greek environmental journalists hold regarding the challenges they face

b. To what extent environmental journalists share common views and attitudes (i.e. discourses)


MethodologyMethodology

Approaches to Attitudinal Research:Approaches to Attitudinal Research:

1.1. Qualitative Analysis (Interviews and Focus Groups)Qualitative Analysis (Interviews and Focus Groups)

2.2. Quantitative Analysis (Questionnaire Quantitative Analysis (Questionnaire –– based surveys)based surveys)

3.3. Q Q -- MethodologyMethodology


Q MethodologyQ Methodology

•• Social discoursesSocial discourses •• Statistical Analysis Statistical Analysis

(Factor Analysis)(Factor Analysis)

Establishes patterns within and across individuals rather than across individual traits such as gender,

age, class etc.


Q MethodologyQ Methodology

Collection of opinions, statements: Collection of opinions, statements: ConcourseConcourse

Identification of a discourse area of interestIdentification of a discourse area of interest

Development of Representative Statements: Development of Representative Statements: Q SAMPLEQ SAMPLE

Rank Order of the Statements: Rank Order of the Statements: QQ--SortSort

Factor AnalysisFactor Analysis

Interpretation of the DiscoursesInterpretation of the Discourses


ConcourseConcourse

An assembly of opinionsAn assembly of opinions

Naturalistic – Q Samples

(Interviews)

Ready made – Q - Samples

(professional journals, news media, magazines, Internet)


Q SampleQ Sample

2719, 3326, 24, 118. Advocative

287, 121, 83, 23, 297. Evaluative

10, 14, 15, 2420,365, 16, 18, 2513, 306. Designative

32, 3521316, 9, 175. Definitive

4.Natural/Unnatural

3. Motivation2. Agency1. OntologyTypes ofClaim

Discourse Element

Collection of 200 statements end up to 36 Statements

The one dimension (row) of the cell structure constitutes the four categories of discourse analysis as they are defined by Dryzek et al (1993).

Ontology: refers to sets of entities (states, nations, individuals, classes).Agency: refers to degrees of agency of these entitiesMotivation: such as self-interest, public-spiritednessNatural/unnatural relationships: taken-for-granted relationships

They other dimension (column) of the cell structure is more heuristic. Bearing in mind that any discourse is going to embody certain claims, one can follow Tulmin’s (1958) classification of the sorts of claims that can be made in arguments.

Definitive: concerns the meaning of terms.Designative: issues of fact.Evaluative: expressions of the worth of something.Advocative: something that should or should not exist.

The aim of using this matrix is to filler the statements so as to leave what can be termed the quintessentially statements about the discourse area being investigated.


QQ--SortSortRank order the Q-Set (Separate cards with each statement)

34

33

2929

353524242626

20202727151531312828

55171714141919303023233232

16164411112222771818101013132525

331199662121883636221212

+4+4+3+3+2+2+1+100--11--22--33--44

Most Disagree Most Agree

(2)(2)(3)(3)(4)(4)(5)(5)(8)(8)(5)(5)(4)(4)(3)(3)(2)(2)

20

25

14

33

Agreement Score

No. Of Statements


Statistical AnalysisStatistical Analysis

• Calculation of the correlation matrix.

• Extraction and rotation of significant factors to an acceptable solution.

• The computation of a set of factor scores for each factor.

Factor loadings on the ParticipantsFactor loadings on the ParticipantsIndividuals Factor 1 Factor 2 Factor 3

1 0.55* 0.44 0.112 0.08 0.11 0.80*3 0.33 -0.17 0.66*4 0.25 0.30 0.53*5 0.05 0.69* 0.336 0.01 0.36 0.59*7 0.04 0.84* 0.018 0.83* -0.08 0.23

9 0.72* 0.08 0.0210 0.72* 0.00 0.3011 0.56* 0.46 0.04

No. loaded 5 2 4Eigenvalues 3.6348 1.5202 1.1838% variance 33.04% 13.82% 10.76%

* denotes a loading significant at 0.50


1 0.55* 0.44 0.112 0.08 0.11 0.80*3 0.33 -0.17 0.66*4 0.25 0.30 0.53*5 0.05 0.69* 0.336 0.01 0.36 0.59*7 0.04 0.84* 0.018 0.83* -0.08 0.23

9 0.72* 0.08 0.0210 0.72* 0.00 0.3011 0.56* 0.46 0.04

No. loaded 5 2 4Eigenvalues 3.6348 1.5202 1.1838% variance 33.04% 13.82% 10.76%* denotes a loading significant at 0.50


1 0.55* 0.44 0.112 0.08 0.11 0.80*3 0.33 -0.17 0.66*4 0.25 0.30 0.53*5 0.05 0.69* 0.336 0.01 0.36 0.59*7 0.04 0.84* 0.018 0.83* -0.08 0.23

9 0.72* 0.08 0.0210 0.72* 0.00 0.3011 0.56* 0.46 0.04



Factor loadings on the ParticipantsFactor loadings on the ParticipantsIndividuals Factor A Factor B Factor C

1 0.55* 0.44 0.112 0.08 0.11 0.80*3 0.33 -0.17 0.66*4 0.25 0.30 0.53*5 0.05 0.69* 0.336 0.01 0.36 0.59*7 0.04 0.84* 0.018 0.83* -0.08 0.23

9 0.72* 0.08 0.0210 0.72* 0.00 0.3011 0.56* 0.46 0.04




Factor AnalysisFactor AnalysisInterpretation of the DiscoursesInterpretation of the Discourses

JournalistsJournalistsDescriptionFactors

44Environmental ActivistsC

22Objective pure journalists B

55Scientifically objective -Environmentally Responsible Journalist

A


Distinguishing StatementsDistinguishing Statements AA BB CC

Strongest Agreement

Although I very much sympathize with environmental movement, it's still critically important to me not to say or write anything of substance that I haven't documented or verified.

My role as an environment reporter is to convey what science has revealed about a question, what is not understood, what aspects of an issue can be clarified through future research, and what amount of unavoidable uncertainty society is saddled with at the end.

Strongest Disagreement (-4)

Reporters generally apply the same standards to environmental issues reporting that they do to Hollywood or sports reporting

Environmental news is “manufactured” by a journalist through interpreting and selecting events to fit the pre-determined scope of his or her environmental newspaper.

While any good reporter can provide the facts, it is the environmental reporter’s job to provide the context and background that readers and viewers need to understand the issues.

2 -3 2

Most of the journalists are in the field because they care about the environment and are concerned about environment 2 -3 -2

An environmental writer on a major metropolitan newspaper today, being at the cutting edge of the fight for a clean and healthy environment, should lead his readers to assume responsibility for their clean skies, waters forest, open spaces and wildlife.

0 3 4

You can get bamboozled by scientists as easy as you can get bamboozled by politicians

-3 1 3

Factor A Profile: Scientifically objective Factor A Profile: Scientifically objective -- Environmentally Environmentally Responsible JournalistResponsible Journalist


Factor B Profile: Objective Pure JournalistFactor B Profile: Objective Pure JournalistDistinguishing StatementsDistinguishing Statements AA BB CC

Stongest Agreement

I believe in facts; it's our only real value-add as journalists. Anyone can provide spin.

I don't think the corrective is for reporters to become activists. It is simply to apply the standards of journalism -- fairly and rigorously.

Strongest Disagreement

Environmental journalism is often belittled because of tendencies to be event-oriented, and failure to explain larger issues

In Environmental Journalism you are influenced by a number of vested interests, such as political parties, scientists, governmental or non-governmental organizations.

You don’t have to have training in science or knowledge of complex environmental problems to report on them.

-2 3 0


-4 1 -4

I think the more knowledge you have of science in general, the better prepared you are not only to balance both sides, but also to put some perspective in it. 4 -1 2

You can get bamboozled by scientists as easy as you can get bamboozled by politicians

-3 1 3

The journalist’s duty is to heighten the public awareness about environmental issues. 0 -3 0

A study by an Environmental Non Governmental Organization is not necessarily moreobjective than a Ministry's study 0 3 0


Factor C Profile: ActivistsFactor C Profile: ActivistsDistinguishing StatementsDistinguishing Statements AA BB CC

There is something of a false dichotomy in the notion that being an objective reporter is at odds with being a "concerned citizen." 0 0 3

I don't think the corrective is for reporters to become activists. It is simply to apply the standards of journalism -- fairly and rigorously. 2 4 -1

Reporters generally apply the same standards to environmental issues reporting that they do to Hollywood or sports reporting -4 -2 1

In Environmental Journalism you are influenced by a number of vested interests, such as political parties, scientists, governmental or non-governmental organizations.

-2 -4 1

Strongest Agreement (+4)

An environmental writer on a major metropolitan newspaper today, being at the cutting edge of the fight for a clean and healthy environment, should lead his readers to assume responsibility for their clean skies, waters forest, open spaces and wildlife.

Although I very much sympathize with environmental movement, it's still critically important to me not to say or write anything of substance that I haven't documented or verified.

Stongest Disagreement (-4)

The bottom line for me is that when a reporter takes sides in a political dispute, the reporting, its credibility, and its impact all suffer.

The only side I take is the side of science. -1 0 -4

I believe in facts; it's our only real value-add as journalists. Anyone can provide spin. 3 4 0



ConsensusConsensus

AgreeAgree AA BB CC

Environmental Journalists must wear many hats. The environmental news writer is as much a business news writer as a science writer or political reporter since the decisions of private business materially affect the quality of the environment.

2 2 3

Ones primary goal is to report the truth…If ones goes into this kind of job with a fixed view of particular issues and you try and bend people to your view, you are not being a journalist, you ought to be a campaigner with Friends of the Earth or Someone like that…

1 2 2

Disagree

Half of environmental journalism is having the story, half is having credibility

-1 -1 -1

The bottom line for me is that when a reporter takes sides in a political dispute, the reporting, its credibility, and its impact all suffer.

-1 -1 -3

Environmental and health journalism would be improved if reporters thought like scientists

-3 -2 -3


Research ChallengeResearch Challenge

To see how these results change while the number of participants increases…


Thank you for your attentionThank you for your attention

Contact Email: [email protected]

Research Centre of Environmental Education and Communication:

www.aegean.gr/environment/environmental-education

Research Centre for Environmental Policy and Strategic Environmental Management:

www.aegean.gr/environment/eeppd

Research Centres Websites:

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.aegean.gr/environment/environmental-education

http://www.aegean.gr/environment/eeppd

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