Communicating Climate Risk Effectively? Editorial Coverage of Climate Change in Leading Urdu Language Newspapers from September 2018 to August 2021

Abstract

Problem Statement: There is limited research in context of coverage of climate change in the vernacular press like Urdu journalism and the study fills the gap. The studies which are conducted in context of Pakistan have focused on limited variables for analysis. Aims and Objectives: The objectives of the study are to research the effects and efficacy coverage of climate change in the editorials of leading Urdu language newspapers of Pakistan. Theoretical Framework: The theoretical framework comprises of triangulation for the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM) and framing theory. Methodology: The method which is used for analyzing the contents of newspapers in quantitative content analysis. The universe for the study is 3 years of editorial coverage of climate change in the Roznama Jang and the Roznama Express from September 2018 to August 2021.The units of analysis are lead editorials and the sub-editorials. Results/Findings: The study finds that there was limited editorial coverage of climate change in the Urdu language newspapers of the Roznama Jang and the Roznama Express (n = 88). The Roznama Express covered more editorials than the Roznama Jang but both the newspapers had editorial coverage in the sub-editorial section. However, the Chi-square test of independence by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25, did not inform any significant difference in the Roznama Jang and the Roznama Express for the editorial coverage of the effects and the efficacy towards climate change. The Roznama Express seemed to provide balance by covering both the effects and the efficacy levels towards climate change which means that the newspaper had effectively communicated the risk of climate change. Conclusion: The study concludes that the newspaper editorials did not focus on the effects of climate change on public health and self-efficacy towards climate change and here is scarce coverage related to coverage of climate change in the editorial section of newspaper which needs attention of editorial board or vernacular press Recommendations: The editors of the newspapers will have to make news stories by keeping into consideration the agendas of the effects of climate change on public health and the self-efficacy towards climate change.