Old-growth forests on network news: News sources and the framing of an environmental controversy (original) (raw)

1996, Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly

The ohi-growth forest debate involves tii>o sides ("procut" and "prosave") presenting competing views of the issue. Television news stories may reflect one or theOther af theseframes through (1) choice of sources, (2) choiceof visuals,and (3) reporter's summary remarks. IVf examined four j /ears of coverage on ABC, CBS, and NBC, and found that while the distribution of visuals was inconclusive, source use and reporter wrapups predominantly reflected Ihe procut frame. This may be because the procut frame emphasized an unambiguous conflict that was more ame nable to brief explanations. Americans rely morí? on television than any other news outlet and roughly a quarter of them Lite broadcast news as their primary source for environmental news. 1 Moreover, although television may be perceived as less factual than dailynewspapers, viewers stillfind it more believable. 1 But when it comes to environmental reporting, how well founded is this trust? How do the networks portray disparate views when covering ecological controversy? This paper explores these issues bv examiningnetwork fram ing of the old-growth forest-spotted owl controversy. The quality of environmental reporting is critical, given its potential impact. Ader documented anagenda-settingeffect forenvironmental pollu tion, 11 and as environmentalissues are often unobtrusive-i.e., the public has little first-handknowledge of or contact with them-the likelihood of amedia agenda-setting effect is intensified.* But agenda setting does not imply knowledge gain. Inone recent study, students whorelied oil television news rather than other informationsources had "less cognitive knowledge about greenhouse gases and their sources, and the most inaccurate view of pre dicted effects of possible global warming," 5 Simitar findings have been reported for acid rain-watching television news had a negative effect on environmental knowledge" Previous studies of media coverage offer some insight as to why Americans are not better informed on this range of environmental issues, 1 his line of research reveals that environmental reporting is often crisis-or event-oriented.' Such an approach may beconsistent with traditionalnews values/ 1 but fails to effectively report on the underlyingissues thatlead to the crisis.' News coverage often lacks explanation of scientific concepb and processes 111 or fails to accurately explain competing theories of causes of