Green Business Coverage in Media Growing



The number of "green" business stories published in the nation's 10 largest newspapers this year has already doubled last year's total, according to a study released today by the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism.


By CP Editorial Staff  


The number of "green" business stories published in the nation's 10 largest newspapers this year has already doubled last year's total, according to a study released today by the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism.

A significant shift is underway in coverage priorities, the study found. Examination of content determined that 81 of 154 business stories on environmental sustainability appearing since 2000 have been published during 2007.

The two-part study consisting of a content analysis and survey of business editors was conducted by Stephen Doig, the Knight Chair at Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, working in conjunction with the Reynolds Center staff.

The survey of business editors revealed that few have dedicated a reporter solely to green coverage, though the subject has been added to some existing beats. Editors said they carry a story with a "green angle" as often as once a week and none felt that interest has peaked.

Representative of this green trend was a recent 12-page "Business of Green" special section in The New York Times that also included advertisements from environmentally-involved firms, according to the study.

Green stories in business sections still reflect only a fraction of such stories found throughout the newspaper, the study found. It also examined green business coverage for publications of all sizes and the swift rise in corporate communications efforts on environmental topics.



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  posted on 11/13/2007   Article Use Policy




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