Assessment of media reports on climate change A study of Ondo State
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Abstract
Climate change is a pressing global issue that continues to be of interest in various fields of study, including the media. This analysis aims to evaluate the media coverage of climate change, particularly in Ondo State. The study investigated the contents of two national dailies: Vanguard and The Punch newspapers and the only state based newspaper: The Hope as well as posts on twitter using content analysis to assess the media reporting on climate change in Ondo State. News articles, features, editorials, and social media posts were examined to comprehensively understand the coverage and discourse on climate change. Findings revealed that the media's coverage of climate change in Ondo State particularly by the state based newspaper were very low even though the media outlets tried to create public awareness about the climate change. The importance of comprehensive and accurate reporting to effectively convey the impacts of climate change on vulnerable sectors such as agriculture was missing. The study therefore recommended that the media should play a crucial role in highlighting the challenges that might be encountered by smallholder farmers and spreading vital information on measures for adaptation
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