IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v16y2019i21p4165-d281201.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Risk, Stigma, Trustworthiness, and Citizen Participation—A Multifaceted Analysis of Media Coverage of Dioxin Contamination in Midland, Michigan

Author

Listed:
  • Jie Zhuang

    (Department of Communication Studies, Texas Christian University, 2800 South University Drive, Fort Worth, TX 76109, USA)

  • Jeffrey G. Cox

    (Department of Communication Studies, Albion College, 611 East Porter Street, Albion, MI 49224, USA)

  • Minwoong Chung

    (Department of Communication, Michigan State University, 404 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA)

  • Joseph A. Hamm

    (School of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University, 665 Auditorium Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
    Environmental Science and Policy Program, Michigan State University, 293 Farm Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA)

  • Adam Zwickle

    (School of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University, 665 Auditorium Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
    Environmental Science and Policy Program, Michigan State University, 293 Farm Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
    Department of Community Sustainability, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Rd, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA)

  • Brad L. Upham

    (Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, 1355 Bogue Street, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA)

Abstract

In the United States, more than 200 communities are designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as areas of concern for dioxins. Informing the public about potential risks associated with dioxins and delivering information about how to avoid such risks are essential activities. News coverage of environmental and health problems affects how members of the public assess those problems in terms of both severity and how they are understood, as well as the extent of attention given to the problem by policy-makers. To contextualize public and institutional responses to dioxin contamination and remediation in a dioxin-affected community, we assessed 176 newspaper articles published over 30 years concerning dioxin contamination in Midland, Michigan, in terms of risk, trust in institutions, environmental stigma, and citizen participation. Articles about dioxin contamination and remediation in Midland appeared in both domestic and international newspapers. Domestically, both national and local newspapers covered this issue. The risks for human health and the environment caused by exposure to dioxins were widely covered, with much less media attention given to the trustworthiness of the organizations responsible for managing the risk, environmental stigma, and citizen participation. News coverage of these four themes also changed significantly overtime. Overall, our findings highlight the important role of local news media in communicating risk information, guiding safe behaviors, and facilitating community-level decision-making.

Suggested Citation

  • Jie Zhuang & Jeffrey G. Cox & Minwoong Chung & Joseph A. Hamm & Adam Zwickle & Brad L. Upham, 2019. "Risk, Stigma, Trustworthiness, and Citizen Participation—A Multifaceted Analysis of Media Coverage of Dioxin Contamination in Midland, Michigan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-15, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:21:p:4165-:d:281201
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/21/4165/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/21/4165/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Iyengar, Shanto, 1987. "Television News and Citizens' Explanations of National Affairs," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 81(3), pages 815-831, September.
    2. Robert Brulle & Jason Carmichael & J. Jenkins, 2012. "Shifting public opinion on climate change: an empirical assessment of factors influencing concern over climate change in the U.S., 2002–2010," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 114(2), pages 169-188, September.
    3. Paul Slovic, 1986. "Informing and Educating the Public About Risk," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 6(4), pages 403-415, December.
    4. Antonis Skouloudis & Nikoleta Jones & Spyridon Roumeliotis & David Issac & Alison Greig & Konstantinos Evangelinos, 2017. "Industrial pollution, spatial stigma and economic decline: the case of Asopos river basin through the lens of local small business owners," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 60(9), pages 1575-1600, September.
    5. Douglas S. Noonan & Douglas J. Krupka & Brett M. Baden, 2007. "Neighborhood Dynamics And Price Effects Of Superfund Site Clean‐Up," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(4), pages 665-692, October.
    6. Vian Bakir, 2010. "Media and risk: old and new research directions," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(1), pages 5-18, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mangani, Andrea, 2021. "When does print media address deforestation? A quantitative analysis of major newspapers from US, UK, and Australia," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    2. Gupta, Kuhika & Nowlin, Matthew C. & Ripberger, Joseph T. & Jenkins-Smith, Hank C. & Silva, Carol L., 2019. "Tracking the nuclear ‘mood’ in the United States: Introducing a long term measure of public opinion about nuclear energy using aggregate survey data," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    3. Poortinga, Wouter & Aoyagi, Midori & Pidgeon, Nick F., 2013. "Public perceptions of climate change and energy futures before and after the Fukushima accident: A comparison between Britain and Japan," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 1204-1211.
    4. Shelley Boulianne & Mireille Lalancette & David Ilkiw, 2020. "“School Strike 4 Climate”: Social Media and the International Youth Protest on Climate Change," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(2), pages 208-218.
    5. Michael J. Motta, 2021. "Diffusion and Typology: The Invention and Early Adoption of Medicinal Marijuana and Offshore Wind Policies," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 102(1), pages 567-584, January.
    6. Henrik Serup Christensen & Lauri Rapeli, 2021. "Immediate rewards or delayed gratification? A conjoint survey experiment of the public’s policy preferences," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 54(1), pages 63-94, March.
    7. Krupka, Douglas J. & Noonan, Douglas S., 2009. "Empowerment Zones, neighborhood change and owner-occupied housing," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(4), pages 386-396, July.
    8. Michael Hennessy, 1994. "Adolescent Syndromes of Risk for HIV Infection," Evaluation Review, , vol. 18(3), pages 312-341, June.
    9. Jeremiah Bohr, 2017. "Is it hot in here or is it just me? Temperature anomalies and political polarization over global warming in the American public," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 142(1), pages 271-285, May.
    10. Melissa Zaksek & Joseph L. Arvai, 2004. "Toward Improved Communication about Wildland Fire: Mental Models Research to Identify Information Needs for Natural Resource Management," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(6), pages 1503-1514, December.
    11. Prieur, Fabien & Zou, Benteng, 2018. "Climate politics: How public persuasion affects the trade-off between environmental and economic performance," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 63-72.
    12. Alexandre Morin-Chassé & Erick Lachapelle, 2020. "Partisan strength and the politicization of global climate change: a re-examination of Schuldt, Roh, and Schwarz 2015," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 10(1), pages 31-40, March.
    13. Latré, Edwin & Perko, Tanja & Thijssen, Peter, 2017. "Public opinion change after the Fukushima nuclear accident: The role of national context revisited," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 124-133.
    14. Bramoullé, Yann & Orset, Caroline, 2018. "Manufacturing doubt," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 119-133.
    15. Lyu, Tu & Chen, Hao & Guo, Yulin, 2023. "Investigating innovation diffusion, social influence, and personal inner forces to understand people's participation in online e-waste recycling," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    16. Marino, Maria & Iacono, Roberto & Mollerstrom, Johanna, 2023. "(Mis-)perceptions, information, and political polarization," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 119268, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    17. Carley M. Eschliman & Emma Kuster & Joseph Ripberger & Adrienne M. Wootten, 2020. "Preparing to adapt: are public expectations in line with climate projections?," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 163(2), pages 851-871, November.
    18. Sasmita Mishra & Damodar Suar, 2007. "Do Lessons People Learn Determine Disaster Cognition and Preparedness?," Psychology and Developing Societies, , vol. 19(2), pages 143-159, December.
    19. Mahendra Kumar Singh & Deep Mukherjee, 2019. "Drivers of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States: revisiting STIRPAT model," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 21(6), pages 3015-3031, December.
    20. Erik Lichtenberg & Rae Zimmerman, 1999. "Adverse Health Experiences, Environmental Attitudes, and Pesticide Usage Behavior of Farm Operators," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(2), pages 283-294, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:21:p:4165-:d:281201. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.