Issue Salience, News Coverage, and Attention Cycles of Environmental Problems

Abstract

Applying Downs' theoretical perspective and analytical approach, the “issue‐attention cycles” of “second generation” environmental problems are evaluated using network news coverage and public opinion on environmental problems from 1975 to 1990. Previous research is improved upon and extended by using actual network news coverage of second generation environmental issues (toxic, hazardous, nuclear, and solid waste management, contamination, and accidents) to track these problems through all five stages of Downs' construct of the issue‐attention cycle (his analysis ventured through only two stages completely). Findings show that Downs' conceptualization of the issue‐attention cycle, although useful, is problematic. The cyclical nature of the proposed model is evident based on network news coverage. The pattern observed for public opinion, however, is not exactly cyclical; there is evidence of a relationship between network news information and public opinion, which corroborates past research and further refines our understanding of the interaction of media, public opinion, and public policy.