Analysis of News Coverage of Haze in China in the Context of Sustainable Development: The Case of China Daily

Yingfei He, Guoliang Zhang and Lijuan Chen
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Yingfei He: School of Media and Communication, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Guoliang Zhang: School of Media and Communication, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Lijuan Chen: School of Media and Communication, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: This study examines the role of media in boosting environmental governance and monitoring sustainable development in China and explores the relationship between the Chinese government and media coverage, and helps audiences understand the positions of third world countries on climate governance. It also offers insights into strengthening international cooperation on the governance of air pollution. Drawing on the framing theory and issue-attention cycle literature, this study examines the frames, news sources, and media slants (negative, neutral, positive) that were used in haze coverage, between 2000 and 2018, by China Daily , the primary English-language newspaper in China. The results of a content analysis reveals that news coverage of haze in China Daily exhibits an issue-attention cycle. This study shows that the majority of haze coverage had a neutral slant, mainly adopted frames of define problems and suggest remedies , and cited sources from officials, agencies, specialists and scholars. Additionally, the usage of the science education frame significantly correlated with the citing of specialists and scholars as news sources. The define problems frame significantly correlated with the citing of officials and agencies as news sources.

Keywords: haze; framing theory; issue-attention cycle; media coverage; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:1:p:386-:d:304804

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