Global News Coverage of Climate Change: A Comparative Analysis of South Asian Press

Abstract

Aim of the Study: This research investigates how the South Asian media covers climate-related issues. Countries in this region are highly vulnerable to climate risks, many are ranked among the top ten most climate-vulnerable nations, the study focuses on three South Asian countries—Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh—by analyzing the climate change coverage in leading English-language newspaper. It explores media coverage patterns, climate framing, and the influence of international reports publication on climate reporting.

Methodology: Researchers by using the content analysis technique examined climate coverage and climate framing in the three South Asian countries i.e. Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh were selected in the current study with one leading English newspaper, i.e. Dawn, Time of India, and The Daily Star. Over a two-year period (April 4, 2021 – April 3, 2023), all news stories and editorials from three leading South Asian English-language newspapers—Dawn (Pakistan), The Times of India (India), and The Daily Star (Bangladesh)—were collected and analyzed, with a total sample size of N = 1238.

Findings: The content analysis results of three newspapers revealed significant variations in climate reporting across South Asia. During the two-year period from April 2021 to March 2023, The Times of India had the highest number of climate-related publications (52.2%), and overall news articles (76.98%) significantly outnumbering editorials (23.02%). Notably, after the release of the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report,709 news items and editorials were published (57.27%), compared to 529 (42.73%) before its release. Among the different frames used, the “Attribution of Responsibility” frame was the most prominent, appearing in 452 stories (36.51%).

Conclusion: Study indicates that there are significant variations in climate reporting in South Asian Press. Results provide compelling evidence that the IPCC’s AR6 has significantly influenced climate-related coverage in South Asian newspapers.