A New Journalism for a New Climate: Is Solutions Journalism the Solution?

Abstract

Little is known about how journalists can engage audiences when providing news about the existential threat of climate change. This experiment tests several solutions stories against problem-oriented stories and an irrelevant control to explain how shifting the news frame may encourage climate policy support. Findings build on research showing solutions journalism increases positive affect and decreases negative affect, although these effects did not predict policy support. This study is the first to demonstrate that climate solutions news can increase readers’ individual and collective response efficacy perceptions. Results offer insight for scholars and practitioners seeking to advance pro-social climate change communication.