What’s with the water: The nature of reporting on the problem of nitrates in Nebraska

Abstract

This article examines how 22 Nebraska newspapers and a wire service covered nitrate contamination in Nebraska’s groundwater over nearly 4 years. We found coverage lacked depth and examined a few solutions although 88% of Nebraskans get drinking water from the ground. Reliance on fertilizer and irrigation for crop production leads to groundwater contamination, making this a concerning coverage gap as climate change impacts promise to make farming more challenging and increase environmental risks.