Attracting Attention for the Cause. The Reporting of Three Indices in the UK National Press

Abstract

Indicators and indices (a collection of indicators into a single value) have been promoted for some time as convenient devices for the presentation of complex datasets to a more general audience. Examples of indices are the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), Human Development Index (HDI) and Ecological Footprint (EF). The research reported in this paper was designed to explore the extent to which the CPI, HDI and EF have been reported in UK national newspapers between January 1990 and December 2009, and whether there are differences between the indices in the pattern of reporting. Results suggest that reporting of the CPI was linked to the timing of reports issued by Transparency International. The same was partly true of reporting of the HDI and timing of release of Human Development Reports by the UNDP. The EF has more reports than the CPI and HDI, and this is related in part to its greater flexibility and adaptability at more local (intra-UK) scales. The paper recommends that those creating such indices look beyond the methodological dimension and consider how best to make the index resonate with the media. by the UNDP. The EF has more reports than the CPI and HDI, and this is related in part to its greater flexibility and adaptability at more local (intra-UK) scales. The paper recommends that those creating such indices look beyond the methodological dimension and consider how best to make the index resonate with the media.

Developing Sustainability Indicators and Indices

“…However, the HDI is but one measure of human development, even if it is a popular one amongst journalists. Other indices do exist that can capture human development or indeed quality of life, but they have received nothing like the same exposure in the press as that shown for the HDI (Morse, , ). This returns to the question set at the start of this paper – why are some SIs widely used by newspaper journalists in their reporting while others are not?…”

“…As a result of their popularity amongst journalists there have been some analyses of the reporting of SIs in newspapers. For example, Morse (, ) looked at the reporting the Human Development Index (HDI), Corruption Perception Index (CPI) and Ecological Footprint (EF) in the UK press and concluded that the degree of ‘use’ of the three indices varied between them and over time. It also varied qualitatively in the sense that journalists used them in different ways; sometimes to provide a validation for a claim (e.g.…”

“…This paper will present the results of a study that extends that analysis to a more global scale and also by covering a larger number of SIs. The question being asked is similar to that asked by Morse (, ), i.e. whether there are differences in reporting between SIs.…”

Regional Inequalities

“…Number of articles mentioning index at least once 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Morse (2011). Also shown are a "best fit" regression line and the coefficient of determination (R 2 ) with statistical significance (*** ¼ P < 0.001) representing an impact on the planet has been picked up within wider parlance and adopted as a term in other measures, such as "carbon footprint."…”

Measuring the Success of Sustainable Development Indices in Terms of Reporting by the Global Press

“…The empirical literature on the 'use' of indices by the press is small but growing, and Morse (2011aMorse ( , 2011b explored the reporting of three indices (HDI, Ecological Footprint and the Corruption Perception Index) by a number of UK national newspapers. He found that a range of factors influenced reporting (as measured by variables such as the number of articles and number of mentions per article), but that study was limited in the sense that it only looked at three indices and, more importantly, it was focussed solely on reporting in a group of UK national newspapers.…”