The fukushima nuclear disaster and its effects on media framing of fission and fusion energy technologies

Abstract

The Fukushima nuclear disaster was a reminder of previous nuclear disasters such as Three Miles Island and Chernobyl, bringing back to the public sphere the discussion around nuclear power plants safety problems. However, while risk associated to traditional nuclear energy (fission) was amplified in the media, a new nuclear energy technology under research (fusion) went unharmed. A comparison of media coverage of fusion and fission energy technologies in three countries (Germany, Spain and Portugal) and in the English language international print media addressing transnational elite, from 2008 to 2012, showed that the Fukushima disaster did not have significant impact on media framing of nuclear fusion in the major part of print media under investigation. This paper intends to explain what lead to this situation.