Media coverage of climate change information by the Tanzania <i>Guardian</i> and <i>Daily News</i> in 2015

Elia, Emmanuel Frank

doi:10.1177/0266666918770712

Cited by 13 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 23 publications

(36 reference statements)

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“…Journalists usually seek climate change information from conferences, universities, the internet, print, research institutions, experts, politicians and researchers (Han et al 2017; Elia, 2018; Science Africa, 2011). Their access to credible, current, relevant, timely and comprehensive information (Attfield and Dowell, 2002; Siyao and Sife, 2018) is crucial for climate change adaptation and sustainable development (Shanahan, 2011; Elia, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Media coverage of climate change information in Tanzania

Elia

2019

Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication

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Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate on themes covered by media and factors affecting coverage of climate change information in Tanzania. Design/methodology/approach In all, 85 journalists from five local media were identified using snowballing and purposive methods where quantitative methods were applied. Findings The results show nearly a half (49 per cent) of the journalists yet to receive training on climate change, with the majority (77 per cent) of organisations providing such training being non-local. The majority (79.8 per cent) of media houses lack editorial policies. Findings show journalists mostly cover information on climate impact and adaptation (49.3 per cent) followed by weather and climate trends (33.8 per cent), while the least covered topics are on renewable energy and climate and poverty (1.4 per cent). Practical implications The results imply journalists lack training on climate change. This may result into low and poor quality coverage of climate change information and inadequate public awareness and understanding. The study concludes that challenges in verifying information from a source, media lack of editorial policy and little exposure and access to specific internet climate change information sources may affect public agenda setting, coverage and adaptation to climate change. It is suggested that a policy be established to foster on access to climate information through frequent short training which expose journalists to new knowledge and networking. Originality/value This study contributes to literature and knowledge on climate themes reported in developing countries and factors influencing coverage of climate change.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Media coverage of climate change information in Tanzania

Elia

2019

Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication

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“…Internet websites can potentially enable newspaper journalists to access and share huge amounts of information on climate change from different sources, thus reducing the cost of searching for, gathering, and sharing current and relevant information (e.g. see Elia, 2019b; Harbinson et al, 2006; Hossain and Islam, 2012; Mahajan and Kumar, 2017). Interesting further discussions with upcountry newspaper journalists indicated that these journalists mostly used Internet services such as email to communicate their news to newsrooms, but did not mostly use Internet services as a search facility for climate change information.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is also a scarcity of scientific literature on the challenges encountered by newspaper journalists when covering climate change information in Tanzania. The little literature that is available is mostly on the coverage of climate change information in Tanzanian newspapers and the challenges encountered by the general category of journalists when covering information in their media (Elia, 2019a, 2019b, 2019c; Siyao and Sife, 2018; Tairo, 2013). Knowledge of such sources helps the generators of climate change information to know the reliable and accessible channels through which they can direct this information for further dissemination.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sources of climate change information used by newspaper journalists in Tanzania

Siyao

Sife

2021

IFLA Journal

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This article assesses the information sources used by Tanzanian newspaper journalists to collect climate change information. The main sources of climate change information consulted by newspaper journalists in Tanzania are climate change experts and daily events, such as community meetings and other relevant social gatherings. These sources are interactive – enabling journalists to obtain climate change information – and easily accessible, and use and provide instant responses. It was also found that deficient use of other potential sources of information, such as libraries, printed materials and Internet websites, coupled with overarching challenges that limit newspaper journalists from seeking, covering and reporting information on climate change, may affect the quality and quantity of climate change information published in Tanzanian newspapers. All the stakeholders involved in the fight against climate change and journalism colleges should collaborate and devise strategies aimed at building the capacity of newspaper journalists, editors and reporters in their daily activities.

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“…In Tanzania, Ogessa and Sife (2017) reported that only 4.9% of agricultural articles were placed on the front pages of the newspapers that were published in the four daily newspapers in 5 years between 2010 and 2015. Elia (2018) observed a low trend of Tanzanian newspaper to publishing climate change information in front pages in two Tanzanian newspapers. Similarly, Nkya (2017) reported that developmental news affecting the lives of the average Tanzanian citizens hardly receive prominence in the news reported in the media of national status.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…It has been repeatedly reported that newspapers attach inadequate priority in publishing developmental and scientific issues as compared to political and social issues (Bacon, 2013; Elia, 2018; Mudombi et al, 2014; Narayana and Kumar, 2009; Nkya, 2017; Ogessa and Sife, 2017; Okorie and Oyedepo, 2011; Tagbo, 2010). Bacon (2013) reported an overall inadequacy of publishing stories about climate change science prominently in the Australian newspapers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prominence of occurrence accorded to climate change information in Tanzanian newspapers

Siyao

Sife

2020

Alexandria: The Journal of National and International Library a

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Study was conducted to analyse degree of prominence that Tanzanian newspapers accorded to climate change information. We argue that the level of prominence accorded to climate change information by Tanzanian newspapers is inadequate. Prioritising the coverage of climate change information in newspapers is important for facilitating its access, promotion and dissemination for awareness creation. Triangulation of quantitative content analysis and in-depth interview method approaches and a sample size of 1600 newspaper editions drawn from six Tanzanian newspapers for a span of 10 years were used. Newspaper editions were quantitatively content analysed and the frequencies at which climate change information articles were placed at the various parts of the newspapers were analysed. Findings indicate that a total of 81,162 articles were published. Of this total, only 684 (0.84%) articles covered climate change information. Furthermore, findings indicate that, of the total 684 climate change information articles, only 53 (7.6%) were placed in the front pages of the six Tanzanian newspapers for all 10 years, giving a yearly average of 5.3 articles for all newspapers and only 1 article for each newspaper per year, whereas the majority (631, 92.25%) of articles in climate change were randomly placed in the inside pages. The Chi-square test ( χ 2 = 10.000; df = 1; p value < 0.002) shows that significant differences exist between the locations of number of articles in front pages and inside pages. The findings suggest that climate change information in Tanzanian newspapers was not given the necessary level of prominence. Study recommends that newspaper media houses should have editorial policy that will ensure that they have a social responsibility of reporting climate change information prominently in their newspapers for wide public access and dissemination. This paper also recommends the need for the provision of specialised trainings such as climate change journalism to news editors, journalists and reporters for equipping them with the good writing styles and skills that will enable them to produce more appealing climate change stories that will attract its front page placement status for setting an agenda in the direction of climate change adaptation, coping and mitigation mechanisms in Tanzania

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Media coverage of climate change information by the Tanzania Guardian and Daily News in 2015

Cited by 13 publications

References 23 publications

Media coverage of climate change information in Tanzania

Media coverage of climate change information in Tanzania

Sources of climate change information used by newspaper journalists in Tanzania

Prominence of occurrence accorded to climate change information in Tanzanian newspapers

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