Environmental Issues in South African Broadcast Media: A Content Analysis of Coverage, Framing, and Source Representation

Asian Journal of Media and Communication E-ISSN: 2579-6119, P-ISSN: 2579-6100 Volume 8, Number 2, 2024 DOI: 10.20885/asjmc.vol8.iss2.art1 Environmental Issues in South African Broadcast Media: A Content Analysis of Coverage, Framing, and Source Representation Zanele Mokoenaa, Lindiwe Nkosib a University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa b University of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa Abstract. This study explores the coverage of environmental issues in South African broadcast media, focusing on patterns, frames, and source representation, applying agenda-setting and framing theories. Employing a content analysis methodology, 360 prime-time news segments from three major broadcasters – SABC, eNCA, and Newzroom Afrika – were analyzed between July 2023 and June 2024. The findings revealed that climate change dominates coverage, accounting for 32% of environmental reporting, followed by natural disasters (21%) and water issues (17%). Economic and policy frames were the most prevalent, highlighting financial impacts and regulatory measures, while health perspectives were underutilized. Government sources were cited most frequently (44%), with limited representation of scientists, NGOs, and local communities, which comprised only 10% of sources. Coverage exhibited a mixed tone, balancing optimism about solutions with urgency about challenges. Despite a focus on global narratives, local environmental issues and grassroots perspectives were underrepresented, indicating a disconnect between media reporting and the lived experiences of South Africans. The study underscored the need for more inclusive and diverse coverage, advocating for the integration of scientific insights and community voices. These findings offered practical implications for media practitioners, policymakers, and environmental communicators, emphasizing the importance of balanced reporting to foster public engagement and informed policy discourse. This research provided a foundation for future studies on environmental journalism, especially in the context of developing countries, and highlighted the potential for media to act as a catalyst for environmental awareness and action. Article History Submitted August 4, 2024 Accepted December 7, 2024 Published December 23, 2024: Keywords: Environmental journalism; broadcast media; content analysis; South Africa; framing theory. 1. Introduction Environmental issues have become increasingly prominent in global discourse, with media playing a crucial role in shaping public perception and policy responses. In South Africa, a country facing numerous environmental challenges such as water scarcity, biodiversity loss, and pollution, the role of broadcast media in communicating these issues is particularly significant. Television and radio are among the most accessible forms of media in South Africa, reaching diverse linguistic and cultural audiences, particularly in rural and underserved areas where print and digital media penetration is lower (Statistics South Africa, 2022). This study aims to analyze the coverage of environmental issues in South Copyright © 2024 Authors. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licences/by-sa/4.0/) 81 Volume 8, Number 2, 2024, 81- 100 African broadcast media, focusing on the patterns, frames, and sources that shape public discourse on these critical topics. The importance of media representation in environmental issues has been wellestablished in global literature. Boykoff (2011) highlighted that media coverage significantly influences public understanding and policy discourse on climate change. In the context of developing countries, Ferdous and Khatun (2020) noted that environmental journalism often faces challenges of limited coverage and marginalization. In South Africa specifically, Musvoto et al. (2016) found that environmental issues in print media receive limited coverage compared to other topics, often framed in economic or political terms. While substantial research exists on print media coverage of environmental issues in South Africa, studies on broadcast media are sparse. This gap is significant, given the crucial role of television and radio in reaching a wide audience, particularly in a country with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Haluza-DeLay and Davidson (2021) investigated climate change representation on South African television news, finding sporadic coverage that often lacks depth. Similarly, Maharaj and Rampersad (2018) analyzed radio coverage, concluding that environmental topics are significantly underrepresented. Initial research suggests that broadcast media tends to prioritize global narratives over local ones, which may contribute to a disconnect between media coverage and the lived experiences of South Africans. These findings underscore the need for a comprehensive analysis of broadcast media’s agendasetting and framing roles. This study addresses this research gap by employing agenda setting theory (McCombs & Shaw, 1972) and framing theory (Entman, 1993) to explore how South African television and radio present environmental issues. Agenda setting theory provides a framework for analyzing the prominence of environmental topics, while framing theory delves into the narratives and interpretations offered by the media. By integrating these theories, the study examines not only what issues are emphasized but also how they are constructed for public discourse. This dual approach ensures a nuanced understanding of the media’s role in shaping environmental awareness and engagement. The research questions guiding this study are: 1. What is the frequency and prominence of environmental issues in South African broadcast media? 2. How are environmental issues framed in South African broadcast media? 3. What sources are predominantly used in environmental reporting, and how does this impact the diversity of perspectives presented? 4. How does the coverage of local environmental issues compare to global environmental topics? 2. Literature review The role of media in shaping public perceptions of environmental issues is critical, given its influence on awareness, attitudes, and behaviors. This literature review explores existing studies on media coverage of environmental issues, with a focus on media in South Africa. The review identifies key themes, methodologies, and findings from previous research, and highlights gaps that the present study aims to address. Media coverage of environmental issues has been extensively studied in various contexts globally. Climate change is one of the most covered environmental issues globally. Boykoff et al. (2010) highlighted that media coverage of climate change varies significantly 82 Zanele Mokoena, Lindiwe Nkosi, Environmental Issues in South African Broadcast Media: A Content Analysis of Coverage, Framing, and So (...truncated)