Global Warming, the Ozone Hole, and the Fourth Estate

As the chorus demanding substantive worldwide action on global warming grows louder, the stakes are ever higher for human health, the environment, and the economy. Research has established that the news media both reflect and influence public opinion and the policymaking process. An understanding of news coverage of climate change and its sibling, the ozone hole, is invaluable for anyone serious about addressing today's global environmental problems. This interdisciplinary study illuminates the impact of American press coverage on the global warming and stratospheric ozone debates as they unfolded over the past quarter century. Using an original content analysis approach, it takes stock of trends in economic, political, social, scientific, and environmental arguments in hundreds of news reports and examines their role in the very different outcomes of the Kyoto and Montreal protocols. Interviews with key players in the process round out the analysis. This work is relevant to many fields - including communication, journalism, environmental studies, and the policy sciences - and it has important implications for those working on the front lines of today's climate change fight.