The dual role of the media in environmental communication as a public sphere and as political actors

Abstract

This paper examined the role of the media in the process of environmental communication by analyzing media articles appearing in the Republic of Korea on the issue of forest conservation. The Korean media functioned as a space for debate and discussion on the issue of forest conservation by various actors, including civil society. Moreover, the Korean media took an active role in the political process by selecting and structuring information, assigning relevance, and interpreting and evaluating events related to forest conservation. Because the media function in part as political actors, journalists also express their own views in media articles in accordance with their interests and goals and collaborate with other actors in the process of environmental reporting. Therefore, the media play a dual role as a public sphere and as political actors in the process of environmental communication in the Republic of Korea. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.