Constraints on Environmental News Production in the U. S.: Interviews with American Journalists

Abstract

This study interviewed American environmental journalists to identify diverse forces that influence environmental newsmaking. The interview revealed that concerns for possible legal problems, perceived pressure from the advertisers, journalists lack of scientific knowledge and technical training influence the way environmental news is produced. Specifically, the interview generated the following findings. First, journalists assume that environmental newsmaking is basically identical to general news production. Second, as a whole journalists investigations on corporate activities arc discouraged: the intensity of criticism is mitigated by the fear of their story being removed or their getting into trouble. Third, concerns about legal disputes tend to refrain journalists from investigative reporting. Fourth, journalists strong commitment to the professional ideology of objectivity leads them generally to define every event in terms of two different sides of stories. Finally, journalists lack of scientific knowledge and training make them heavily dependent on official sources.