ScholarWorks@중앙대학교

초록

This study conducted a longitudinal analysis of 321 environmental reports awarded by the “Journalist of the Month Award”, hosted by the Journalists Association of Korea from 1990 to 2024. The analysis categorized the reports by medium (newspaper, broadcast, online), region (central, local), and government political orientation (conservative, progressive) to explore the characteristics and evolution of environmental journalism in South Korea. Results indicated that broadcast media emphasized urgency and immersion through vivid, on-site reporting and visual representation, whereas newspapers primarily utilized data-driven, in-depth analyses and policy-critical approaches. The regional analysis revealed that local media produced a higher proportion of award-winning environmental coverage compared to central media, notably focusing on pressing local issues closely related to residents' health and daily life, such as environmental pollution resulting from rapid industrialization, especially in the Yeongnam region. An examination by political orientation showed that conservative administrations prioritized macro-level investigative reporting on issues like nuclear power and major national projects, whereas progressive administrations spotlighted micro-level topics emphasizing ecological conservation and sustainable development. Additionally, applying hierarchical influences theory, the study confirmed that factors such as journalists' personal beliefs, media reporting practices, political orientation of media organizations, and management strategies collectively influenced environmental reporting. This research systematically clarifies the multidimensional nature of environmental journalism in South Korea and offers theoretical and empirical insights into future directions for environmental reporting.

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