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Climate change communications & young people in the Kingdom: A reception study

Authors: Hibberd, M. and Nguyen, A.N.

Journal: International Journal of Media and Cultural Politics

Volume: 9

Issue: 1

Pages: 27-46

eISSN: 2040-0918

ISSN: 1740-8296

DOI: 10.1386/macp.9.1.27_1

Abstract:

Based on focus groups with young people in England and Scotland and in-depth interviews with journalists, communication professionals and campaigners, this article examines how UK youths perceive climate change issues and how they receive climate messages from the news media and other communication forms. We found a strong sense of pessimism and disempowerment among our participants and identified a set of 'triple-R reasons' for their disengagement and inaction - namely the lack of relevance, resources and rituals. In that context, the media and other major communication forms have tended to hinder rather than help our young participants to be more actively involved and engaged - due mainly to the lack of positive and relevant messages and the focus on the extreme and the controversial. © 2013 Intellect Ltd Article.

Source: Scopus

Climate change communication and young people in the UK: a reception study

Authors: Hibberd, M. and Nguyen, A.

Journal: International Journal of Media and Cultural Politics

Volume: 9

Issue: 1

Abstract:

This paper presents key findings from a reception study of climate change messages among young urban and rural groups aged 16-26 in Southern England and Scotland, investigating how young people perceive climate change issues and how various forms of climate change communication – especially news, advertising and campaigns – might or might not help them to overcome the many barriers of climate engagement and action.

We found that while there was general acceptance among our young participants that anthropogenic climate change, there was a pervasive sense of pessimism and hopelessness among all focus group members and interviewees about the prospects for dealing with climate change in the future. Only a very small minority of participants were actively involved in climate campaigns. In that context, major forms of climate change communication – especially news and advertising through the media – have failed to get the messages across effectively to empower and engage people. Common strategies that both the media and climate campaigns use to engage people were generally met with more scepticism than appreciation in our focus groups and interviews with audiences and communicators. Some types of messages – such as those playing on guilt and fear or those involving celebrities – might work effectively for some people but were perceived to have an adverse effect on a substantial number of participants. In general, young audience members called for more positive approach to message content and message delivery methods, which be discussed at the end of this paper.

Source: Manual

Preferred by: An Nguyen