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Sustainability-Related Media Coverage and Socioeconomic Development: A Regional and North–South Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Ralf Barkemeyer

    (Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, England)

  • Frank Figge

    (Kedge Business School, Domaine de Luminy—BP 921, 13 288 Marseille cedex 9, France)

  • Diane Holt

    (Queen's University Management School, 25 University Square, Belfast BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland)

Abstract

With this paper we discuss the differences between sustainability-related media agendas across different countries and regions. Utilising a sample of 115 leading national newspapers covering forty-one countries, we show that typically no homogeneous global trends exist with regard to sustainability-related media agendas. Instead, significant differences exist regarding the national-level prioritisations of sustainability-related issues in the countries under review. To some extent, these observed differences can be attributed to different levels of socioeconomic development as measured by Human Development Index scores and gross domestic product per capita. Here, generic differences can be identified between newspapers from the Global North and South, with a range of issues such as climate change emerging as typically Northern issues, whereas issues such as corruption and poverty show significantly higher levels of coverage across newspapers from the Global South. We conclude with a discussion of the results in the context of global environmental governance.

Suggested Citation

  • Ralf Barkemeyer & Frank Figge & Diane Holt, 2013. "Sustainability-Related Media Coverage and Socioeconomic Development: A Regional and North–South Perspective," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 31(4), pages 716-740, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envirc:v:31:y:2013:i:4:p:716-740
    DOI: 10.1068/c11176j
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Cotton, Matthew & Barkemeyer, Ralf & Renzi, Barbara Gabriella & Napolitano, Giulio, 2019. "Fracking and metaphor: Analysing newspaper discourse in the USA, Australia and the United Kingdom," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 1-1.
    2. Cecilia Elizabeth Bayas Aldaz & Jesus Rodriguez-Pomeda & Leyla Angélica Sandoval Hamón & Fernando Casani, 2020. "Understanding the University-Sustainability Link through Media: A Spanish Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-15, June.
    3. Barkemeyer, Ralf & Faugère, Christophe & Gergaud, Olivier & Preuss, Lutz, 2020. "Media attention to large-scale corporate scandals: Hype and boredom in the age of social media," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 385-398.
    4. Padmaja Argade & Fanny Salignac & Ralf Barkemeyer, 2021. "Opportunity identification for sustainable entrepreneurship: Exploring the interplay of individual and context level factors in India," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(8), pages 3528-3551, December.
    5. Goodwin, Daniel & Gale, Fred & Lovell, Heather & Beasy, Kim & Murphy, Hannah & Schoen, Marion, 2024. "Sustainability certification for renewable hydrogen: An international survey of energy professionals," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).

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