| The news inundates us daily with more information than we can possibly retain. We process, filter, and internalize bits and pieces of what we read. But how do we process unfamiliar or complex information, such as the science inherent in water management issues? What role do the media play in guiding our perceptions and subsequent public policy processes pertinent to water? My research builds on existing findings showing that the interactions among print media language, scientific information and policy development are not well understood. There is strong evidence that: (1) policy development relies heavily on public opinion; (2) the minimal scientific knowledge the general public possesses is learned via the mass media and; (3) very specific language use can contribute to how the general public perceive scientific issues and hence can influence their opinions and policy positions. My work flows from a confluence of concepts including schema theory, critical linguistics and agenda-setting. My fundamental question is how does "mediated" language about relevant science impact water management policy decisions?;To assess the connections among news language, public perception and water policy decisions, I used the Albuquerque, NM water supply and the 1993 Upper Mississippi River Basin flood as case studies. I conducted content analyses of local news coverage, completed an experiment to assess reader response to various language treatments, documented relevant policy decisions and interviewed numerous scientists and policy-makers with intimate knowledge about these case studies.;I found strong correlations between media language and public perceptions about these issues. I also found that there seems to be a threshold at which specific language begins to influence reader response. Additionally, I found that in both cases there was very little science presented in the media coverage and subsequently little science invoked in policy responses. I also found examples where the policy response did not correlate well with the media language and content. I hypothesize that there are other threshold effects at play here, including the power of political and economic interests, as well as event longevity, impact and newness. |
