Climate Change Reporting Bali: Climate Conference

By Kris Haamer

December 2007, Bali island

• Biggest climate change conference

• Expected successor to the Kyoto Protocol to tackle global warming

• Involves 180 countries

Bali: Climate Conference

Bali: Climate Conference

• France

• United Kingdom

• United States

• Argentina

• Estonia

Bali: Media Coverage

How much media coverage in 5 countries?

• Includes 3 top newspapers from every country + Global media

French media, stats Dec. 07:

• Int. Herald Tribune (en) 58

• Le Monde 46

• Les Echos 33

Total reports: 137

Bali: Media Coverage

French media headlines:

• Int. Herald Tribune, Dec 17: “Disappointment in Bali”

• Le Monde, Dec 10: “Le réchauffement climatique pourrait déclencher une ‘guerre civile mondiale’” – trans: Global warming could trigger a ‘global civil war’

Bali: Media Coverage

French media conclusion:

• Extensive coverage

• In depth

• Factual reports accompanied with opinion from different parties

• Some use of scaremongering

Bali: Media Coverage

British media, stats Dec. 07:

• The Daily Telegraph 61

• The Independent 47

• The Times 25

Total reports: 133

Bali: Media Coverage

British media headlines:

• The Daily Telegraph: “World powers to agree Bali climate treaty ”

• The Independent: “Bali Conference: World unity forces US to back climate deal”, “Bali talks critical in battle to stop planet warming”

Bali: Media Coverage

British media conclusion:

• Extensive factual coverage

• Many opinion-pieces

• Some newspapers take sides

Bali: Media Coverage

United States media, stats Dec. 07:

• USA Today 27

• New York Times 22

• Washington Post 14

Total reports: 63

Bali: Media Coverage

United States media headlines:

• USA Today: “Talks intensify at global climate summit”

• NY Times: “At Divided Climate Talks, Consensus That U.S. Is at Fault”

Bali: Media Coverage

United States media conclusion:

• High factual coverage

• High degree of different opinions

• High variance between different sources

Bali: Media Coverage

Argentine media, stats Dec. 07:

• Buen. Aires Herald (en) 19

• La Nacion 15

• Clarín 8

Total reports: 42

Bali: Media Coverage

Argentine media headlines:

• La Nacion: “EE.UU. obstaculiza un acuerdo climático” – US blocks climate treaty

• Clarín, Dec 16: “Bali: vago acuerdo global para combatir el cambio climático” – Bali: vague agreement for tackling climate change

Bali: Media Coverage

Argentine media conclusion:

• Low factual coverage

• Almost no commentary or opinion

• More coverage in English language newspapers

Bali: Media Coverage

Estonian media, stats Dec. 07:

• Postimees 7

• EPL 6

• SL Õhtuleht 1

Total reports: 14

Bali: Media Coverage

Estonian media headlines:

• Postimees: Dec. 6 “Eesti ametnikud lähevad paradiisisaarele kliimast rääkima”

• Trans: Estonian officials go to paradise island to discuss climate

Bali: Media Coverage

Estonian media headlines:

• EPL: Dec. 8 “Bali saarel otsitakse üksmeelt, kuidas päästa üks planeet. Meie oma”

• Trans: Bali island: search for consensus on how to save a planet. Our planet.

Bali: Media Coverage

Estonian media conclusion:

• Low coverage

• Fact and opinion not clearly demarkated in reports

• No contextualization by informed opinions from scientists, politicians, etc.

Bali: Media Coverage

Global media, reports Dec. 07:

• Reuters 39

• BBC World 33

• CNN Int. 20

Total reports: 92

Bali: Media Coverage

Global media headlines:

• BBC: “Key climate summit begins”, “US stalls on carbon targets”, “Dispute blights climate summit”

• CNN: “U.S. rejects Bali climate draft”, “Deadlocked Bali talks near end”, “EU, U.S. reach Bali compromise”,

Bali: Media Coverage

Global media conclusion:

• Short and precise

• Very extensive factual coverage

• Use of different media

Bali: Media Coverage

Overall comparison

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France

United Kingdom

Global news

United States

Argentina

Estonia

Bali: Media Coverage

Overall conclusions

• More coverage in Europe than in the Americas

• Less coverage in Estonia than in Europe, or the Americas

• Global media coverage lacks opinion, but more balanced than national media

l Bali: Media Coverage

Thank You!