Staging media events to achieve legitimacy: A case study of Britain's friends of the earth

Abstract

Abstract The article attempts to show how Friends of the Earth, a British public interest group, employs a series of tactics to attract public attention and achieve political legitimacy. The prime focus is placed on the creation of a favorable climate vis‐a‐vis the media. Friends of the Earth has been remarkably successful in this area not only because of the quantity of the coverage but also the positive tone to the coverage. The article goes on to speculate why Friends of the Earth has had such success with the media. The major factors appear to be the theatrical nature of the events staged; the thorough research done by Friends of the Earth; and the media's need for a legitimate spokesman for the ecological movement. The article finally explores the price paid by Friends of the Earth for alienating various actors in the political system. The most significant consequence relates to the bureaucracy which uses the media events as a rationale for dismissing the serious arguments made by Friends of the Earth.