Telling Stories About Global Climate Change

TLDR

Media coverage of environmental issues follows cyclical patterns that require narrative factors beyond intrinsic issue qualities. The study analyzes New York Times and Washington Post stories from 1980–1995 to examine how media narratives shape global‑warming attention cycles. Coverage cycles reveal that implied danger and consequences rise during peaks, scientific controversy dominates the maintenance phase, and economic aspects gain prominence during maintenance and downturns, suggesting the dominant narrative may dampen future attention.

Abstract

A theory of cyclical patterns in media coverage of environmental issues must account for more than intrinsic qualities of the issues themselves: Narrative factors must be considered. A content analysis of The New York Times and The Washington Post stories from 1980 to 1995 shows how media construct narratives about global warming and how these narratives may influence attention cycles. Empirically, the frequency of newspaper coverage shows cyclical attention to global warming. The content analysis further reveals that implied danger and consequences of global warming gain more prominence on the upswing of newspaper attention, whereas controversy among scientists receives greater attention in the maintenance phase. The economics of dealing with global warming also receive greater attention during the maintenance and downside of the attention cycle. The discussion offers a narrative explanation and suggests the outcome of the “master story” of global climate change may discourage future attention to global warming.