Comparative analysis of media coverage of the Bali Climate Change Confence

1. Climate Change Reporting
Bali: Climate Conference
By Kris Haamer

2. Bali: Climate Conference
December 2007, Bali island
• Biggest climate change conference
• Expected successor to the Kyoto Protocol
to tackle global warming
• Involves 180 countries

3. Bali: Climate Conference

4. Bali: Media Coverage
How much media coverage in 5 countries?
• France • Argentina
• United Kingdom • Estonia
• United States
• Includes 3 top newspapers from every
country + Global media

5. Bali: Media Coverage
French media, stats Dec. 07:
• Int. Herald Tribune (en) 58
• Le Monde 46
• Les Echos 33
Total reports: 137

6. 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’

7. Bali: Media Coverage
French media conclusion:
• Extensive coverage
• In depth
• Factual reports accompanied with opinion
from different parties
• Some use of scaremongering

8. Bali: Media Coverage
British media, stats Dec. 07:
• The Daily Telegraph 61
• The Independent 47
• The Times 25
Total reports: 133

9. 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”

10. Bali: Media Coverage
British media conclusion:
• Extensive factual coverage
• Many opinion-pieces
• Some newspapers take sides

11. Bali: Media Coverage
United States media, stats Dec. 07:
• USA Today 27
• New York Times 22
• Washington Post 14
Total reports: 63

12. 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”

13. Bali: Media Coverage
United States media conclusion:
• High factual coverage
• High degree of different opinions
• High variance between different sources

14. Bali: Media Coverage
Argentine media, stats Dec. 07:
• Buen. Aires Herald (en) 19
• La Nacion 15
• Clarín 8
Total reports: 42

15. 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

16. Bali: Media Coverage
Argentine media conclusion:
• Low factual coverage
• Almost no commentary or opinion
• More coverage in English language
newspapers

17. Bali: Media Coverage
Estonian media, stats Dec. 07:
• Postimees 7
• EPL 6
• SL Õhtuleht 1
Total reports: 14

18. 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

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. Bali: Media Coverage
Global media, reports Dec. 07:
• Reuters 39
• BBC World 33
• CNN Int. 20
Total reports: 92

22. 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”,

23. Bali: Media Coverage
Global media conclusion:
• Short and precise
• Very extensive factual coverage
• Use of different media

24. Bali: Media Coverage
Overall comparison
140
120
France
100
United Kingdom
80
Global news
60 United States
40 Argentina
20 Estonia
0

25. Bali: Media Coverage
l
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

26. Thank You!