Coimbatore: With Human-Animal conflict and natural issues on the rise, a research done for Philosophy Doctorate has urged for a knowledge upgradation of the regional journalists to be able to cover the environmental issues in a thematic manner and present to the audience comprehensively.
Coimbatore: With Human-Animal conflict and natural issues on the rise, a research done for Philosophy Doctorate has urged for a knowledge upgradation of the regional journalists to be able to cover the environmental issues in a thematic manner and present to the audience comprehensively.
The research titled ‘Reportage of Environmental Issues in Language and English Newspapers in Coimbatore; A Qualitative Analysis of Media and Environmentalist Considerations’, done by C.R. Jayaprakash, Head of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism of PSG College of Arts and Science was presented for Viva Voce in the College yesterday.
Suggesting sensitisations for journalists in the reportage of environmental news, the study emphasised on the importance of deploying the news in thematic representations with images, which could create more impact on the readers.
“Language press can be used as a potential tool in shaping the public opinion and local level policy making process. Further the journalists in local publications are sourced mostly from the local areas. Hence, they can serve as great opinion leaders in the dissemination of process,” the study stated.
However, the study has stated that there was a need to strengthen the Indian News Agencies like Press Trust of India (PTI) and United News of India (UNI) on par with global agencies like Reuters, Associated Press, Agence France Press with special importance to environmental reporting.
“Framing of the environmental news items are substantially influenced by the knowledge and strength of the field staff,” read the thesis and emphasised on a paper by Chellam in 2011, which recommended sensitisation programmes as it they would also help in exchange of knowledge and experience, thereby helping in better reportage.
In addition, the study also suggested scientists to communicate in layman language rather than using complex terms, so that readers find it comprehensive. “Scientists are to come of their labs, journals, peer reviews and simplify their facts into the public domain with the help of local journalists,” suggested the study.
Analysing environmental news content in five leading dailies in Coimbatore for a period of three months, the researcher has been able to identify that conflict based news has featured more (48.13 per cent), in comparison with mitigation (36 per cent) and consequence (15.5 per cent). The sampling was done before and after the capture of Madukkarai Maharaj between the months of June and August in 2016.
The study has also revealed that 52.4 per cent of the news items on environment had negative valence because of more importance to increased conflict scenarios reported using straight news.
The study is the first of its kind study focussing on environmental reporting in Coimbatore.