Open Access"I think it's up to the media to raise awareness." Quality expectations of media coverage on climate change from the audience’s perspective
Author(s) -
Nina Wicke,
Monika Taddicken
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
studies in communication sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2296-4150
pISSN - 1424-4896
DOI - 10.24434/j.scoms.2021.01.004
Subject(s) - perspective (graphical) , appeal , quality (philosophy) , news media , media coverage , climate change , public relations , relevance (law) , sociology , psychology , political science , media studies , computer science , epistemology , ecology , philosophy , artificial intelligence , law , biology
This study aims to increase the understanding of how the media should report scientific issues by exploring audience’s expectations of how the media cover the contemporary, global issue of climate change. Drawing upon qualitative group discussions (n = 26) and on the theoretical perspective of Wolling’s Theory of Subjective Quality Assessments (TSQA), we provide insights into the relations between public views on climate change and the expectations and assessments of its media coverage. Stimuli material of climate change media coverage presenting uncertainty, a scientific claim, and emotional appeal was integrated. Overall, the relevance of the media for this public issue was emphasized. Despite diverging opinions on how the media should adopt its societal function, a more solution-oriented, detailed and diversified coverage was desired to provide guidance and to overcome topic fatigue. Differing quality dimensions regarding content and reporting style from the audience’s perspective were derived.