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The news media has become a key arena for staging environmental conflicts. Through a range of illuminating examples ranging from climate change to oil spills, Media, Environment and the Network Society provides a timely and far-reaching analysis of the media politics of contemporary environmental debates.

Drawing together insights from media studies, sociology and science and technology studies, this book is one of the first major studies of media coverage, policy debates and public perceptions of nanotechnologies, and makes a fascinating and timely contribution to debates about the public communication of science

Astronomers are uniquely placed to play a key role in public outreach on the climate crisis and inspire behaviour change. As trusted 'non-controversial' experts, astronomers are particularly well positioned to reach out to very large audiences via planetaria, public talks and media contributions. However, it is not simply enough to present the 'facts' of climate change. Research demonstrates that people's attitudes to climate change are shaped much more by their values and political views than their level of scientific knowledge. In order to engage successfully with the public it is necessary to frame messages in ways that relate to people's values and day-to-day experiences. Climate change is often perceived to be a distant and abstract threat so narratives that connect it to local issues can bring it closer to home. Using stories and anecdotes rather than statistics and graphs helps to convey the science more effectively. Clear language and familiar examples help people to relate to the issues instead of reinforcing the idea that it is an abstract, psychologically distant, and technical problem. Careful attention needs to be given to both choice of language and visual imagery in order to avoid potentially detracting from the issues or polarising responses. Fear-based messages that do not provide any solutions can lead to apathy and denial. Finally, it is vital to understand your audience as strategic communication needs to be tailored towards the specific audience segment.

AbstractClimate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, and the media have been demonstrated to play a key role in shaping public perceptions and policy agendas. Journalists are faced with multiple challenges in covering this complex field. This article provides an overview of existing research on the media framing of climate change, highlighting major research themes and assessing future potential research developments. It argues that analysis of the reporting of climate science must be placed in the wider context of the growing concentration and globalization of news media ownership, and an increasingly 'promotional culture', highlighted by the rapid rise of the public relations industry in recent years and claims‐makers who employ increasingly sophisticated media strategies. Future research will need to examine in‐depth the targeting of media by a range of actors, as well as unravel complex information flows across countries as media increasingly converge.

Abstract This paper investigates the ways in which the UK hunting lobby has historically sought to widen its appeal by wrapping the hunting debate up in broader countryside issues in an attempt to present it as an integral part of rural life. It is based upon a detailed analysis of the re‐branding of the hunting lobby and the subsequent framing of the Countryside Alliance's Liberty and Livelihood March in the British newspaper press in September 2002. This illustrates how the hunting lobby has fed upon and promoted the perception of a growing urban–rural divide in the UK. The analysis suggests that there is a long history of symbiotic relationships between campaigning organizations promoting a 'countryside agenda' and the politically partisan UK press. Gaining extensive newspaper access, however, does not guarantee that a protest group is successful in its aims. This case study suggests that it is important to consider the less visible processes of news production within their historical context, and in relation to the broader policy‐making arena, to adequately assess whether there has been a fundamental shift in the relationship between protest movements and the press in recent years.

The recent war in Iraq has generated much discussion about the role of the news media in representing war. This piece calls for greater sociological intervention into this debate. In particular, it cautions against exaggerating the ideological effects of media propaganda on public attitudes to war. The decision to go to war generated unusually high levels of public opposition. In times of war it is commonplace for policymakers and military personnel to attack the media for bias and credit them with a determining influence on public opinion. However, this piece suggests that there is a need for greater critical engagement with developments in audience research. Also, current debates also exhibit considerable confusion over concepts of 'objectivity', 'impartiality' and 'bias'. Recent sociological work reveals both the complexities arising from the ambiguity of concepts of 'objectivity' and 'bias', and the need for a more fine-grained approach towards media effects.