Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Media plays an important role in the education of the public opinion in relation to environmental issues. This empirical study examined how the online Greek media is framing renewable energy resources, the EU directive and the Greek action plan, during the period of 2015-2017. The study identified seven unique frames that journalists chose for the representation of the news, the economic development/ competitiveness, individual progress, sustainability, diplomacy, European relations, technological innovation and public accountability. These frames were generated after the inductive qualitative methodological approach and later have been compared to Nisbet’s (2009) typology of frames. As a result, the findings suggested that the main focus has been given to economic frames, while there is a lack of frames that concern the environment. Additionally, the data showed that very little is discussed about sustainability, while the focus of the media is economic, diplomatic and innovative ideology. Thus, this paper extends our understanding on how the media frames online news articles concerning the environment. While these findings can attribute with further detail to the knowledge we have about how the Greek media frames renewable energy.