Media coverage of climate change information in Tanzania
| Published date | 01 July 2019 |
| Pages | 258-274 |
| Date | 01 July 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/GKMC-11-2018-0090 |
| Author | Emmanuel Frank Elia |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Information behaviour & retrieval,Information in society,Information literacy,Library & information services |
Media coverage of climate change
information in Tanzania
Emmanuel Frank Elia
Department of Information Studies, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam,
United Republic of Tanzania
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this study is to investigate on themes covered by media and factors affecting
coverageof climate change information in Tanzania.
Design/methodology/approach –In all, 85 journalists from five local media were identified using
snowballingand purposive methods where quantitativemethods were applied.
Findings –The results show nearly a half (49 per cent)of the journalists yet to receive training on climate
change, with themajority (77 per cent) of organisations providing such trainingbeing non-local. The majority
(79.8 per cent) of media houses lack editorialpolicies. Findings show journalists mostly cover informationon
climate impactand adaptation (49.3 per cent) followed by weather and climate trends (33.8per cent), while the
least coveredtopics are on renewable energy and climateand poverty (1.4 per cent).
Practical implications –The results imply journalistslack 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
journaliststo new knowledge and networking.
Originality/value –This study contributes to literature and knowledge on climate themes reported in
developingcountries and factors influencing coverage of climate change.
Keywords Developing countries, Climate change frames, Climate change online sources,
Climate information coverage, Media editorial policy, Tanzania journalists
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Climate change is one of the notable challenges societies in the world have recently been
facing (Han et al.2017).It is a phenomenon which explains earth global warming as resulting
from increased human activity-related greenhouse gases of over 30 years (Schafer and
Schlichting, 2014). Climatechange, as menace, is a relatively new phenomenon compared to
other social issues which have been reportedin the mass media. Its novelty, complexity and
unobtrusive characteristics(Boykoff and Boykoff, 2007) raise new challenges to information
practitioners such as journalists, who ought to learn on the subject to report effectively in
the media.
Conventionally, journalists seek information from sources for reporting on radio, in
newspapers and on television (Tagbo, 2010) as part of the traditional journalistic role of
The author acknowledges Dr Michael Andindilile from the University of Dar es Salaam’s School of
Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) for editing and proofreading the manuscript.
Research funding: The author did not receive any funding to conduct the research. The author
used his meagre own funds.
GKMC
68,4/5
258
GlobalKnowledge, Memory and
Communication
Vol.68 No. 4/5, 2019
pp. 258-274
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2514-9342
DOI 10.1108/GKMC-11-2018-0090
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/2514-9342.htm
collecting and disseminating information to the audience. Of late, journalists have had to
make adjustments to address the users’crucial climate information needs. In fact, the
information explosion engendered by the internet has transformed the journalists’role into
an interactive one, which is less bound to physicalcontact (Luedecke and Boykoff, 2017). As
a result of technological advancement and changing media environment, more training
becomes essential for journalists to cope witha tide of change (Media Council of Tanzania,
2017).
Journalists usually seek climate change information from conferences, universities, the
internet, print, researchinstitutions, 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 adaptationand sustainable development (Shanahan, 2011;Elia, 2018).
Although the public expects journalists to cover information on climate change
through the media, studies tend to neglect albeit unintentionally tracing the knowledge
transfer chain of journalists (Amu and Agwu, 2012). Scientists and the public expect
journalists to cover and report on timely, credible and interesting climate change
information but without seriously paying attention to how and where journalists look
for relevant and reliable information particularly in this information explosion era. In
fact, for better coverage, journalists’training, access to online resources, self-learning
and information management skills (Amu and Agwu, 2012;Elia, 2018) become crucial
cogs. Training and the internet promote the journalists’understanding of climate
change, networking and enhances access to reliable sources, including organisations
and experts (Castells, 1996;Nicholas et al.2000;Science Africa, 2011). Despite training
having a crucial role in coverage, journalists in Tanzania have not received adequate
training on environment and climate change (Journalists Environment Association of
Tanzania 2011; Media Council of Tanzania, 2017). Moreover, Elia (2018) observed no
clear coverage pattern of climate change information in Tanzania English newspapers.
Resultantly, despite its important role in setting the public agenda and coverage, it is
unclear whether media covering climate change have editorial policies. In addition,
although Tanzania journalists are increasingly using the internet in journalistic
activities (Media Council of Tanzania, 2017), it is not certain which online sources
journalists prefer and use to extricate climate change information.
The literature reviewed shows scanty studies conducted in developing countries on
the role of media in shaping and setting the climate change agenda (Pandey and Kurian,
2017). Luedecke and Boykoff (2017) observed that journalists in the Global South lack
training and access to timely, clear, timely and explicable environment-related
resources. Shanahan (2009) observed journalists in Africa lack appropriate training on
climate change reporting. Studies on the coverage of climate change information in
Tanzania include those by Siyao and Sife (2018) and Elia (2018). These studies
specifically focused only on print media’s coverage of climate change and excluded
broadcasting media. In fact, the literature reviewed could not identify a broad-based
media research study which assessed on coverage of climate change in Tanzania with
emphasis on journalists’climate themes covered, training, online information resources
used and editorial policy. This study, therefore, sought to specifically explore on media
themes, geographical coverage of climate change and key factors which affect coverage
of climate change information. The current study specificobjectiveswereto
understand on journalists’training, identify and compare themes covered in trainings
andthosecoveredinmedia,exploreoneditorial policy, online climate change sources
used and information content verification.
Climate
change
information in
Tanzania
259
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