Malaysia’s Media Framing of Plastic Pollution: The Case of Imported Plastic Waste

IF 3 3区社会学 Q1 COMMUNICATION

Environmental Communication-A Journal of Nature and Culture Pub Date : 2023-08-08 DOI:10.1080/17524032.2023.2244187

Sheau Wen Ong, Fong Wei Diong

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Abstract

ABSTRACT Public knowledge regarding environmental problems is determined by how new sources frame the issues in specific terms. Media images of Southeast Asian countries, particularly Malaysia, drowning in plastic waste are rife after China’s import ban. The concern is mounting over the uneven distribution of environmental and health burdens between developed and developing countries. Despite the growing perils of plastic pollution, there is no comparative analysis available on environmental news coverage in Malaysian mainstream and alternative media. This study aims to fill this research gap by investigating the differences in the framing of plastic pollution over four years. Quantitative content analysis of The Star’s and Malaysiakini’s coverage between January 2018 and December 2021 showed that controversy is the most frequently used frame for describing respective governments’ standpoints. Additionally, Malaysian newspapers are similar in their selection of primary issue definers. The implications of the findings and recommendations for future research are discussed.

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马来西亚的媒体框架塑料污染:进口塑料废物的情况

公众对环境问题的了解取决于新来源如何用特定的术语来描述问题。在中国实施进口禁令后，东南亚国家(尤其是马来西亚)被塑料垃圾淹没的媒体形象非常普遍。发达国家和发展中国家之间环境和健康负担的不均衡分布日益引起人们的关注。尽管塑料污染的危害越来越大，但马来西亚主流媒体和另类媒体的环境新闻报道却没有比较分析。本研究旨在通过调查四年来塑料污染框架的差异来填补这一研究空白。对《星报》和《大马新闻》2018年1月至2021年12月报道的定量内容分析显示，争议是描述各自政府立场的最常用框架。此外，马来西亚报纸在选择主要问题定义方面也很相似。讨论了研究结果的意义和对未来研究的建议。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Environmental Communication-A Journal of Nature and Culture Multiple-

CiteScore

6.30

自引率

7.40%

发文量

期刊介绍： Environmental Communication is an international, peer-reviewed forum for multidisciplinary research and analysis assessing the many intersections among communication, media, society, and environmental issues. These include but are not limited to debates over climate change, natural resources, sustainability, conservation, wildlife, ecosystems, water, environmental health, food and agriculture, energy, and emerging technologies. Submissions should contribute to our understanding of scientific controversies, political developments, policy solutions, institutional change, cultural trends, media portrayals, public opinion and participation, and/or professional decisions. Articles often seek to bridge gaps between theory and practice, and are written in a style that is broadly accessible and engaging.