Environment as Indian media’s (non)priority: review of the book Environmental Journalism by DS Poornananda

Abstract

Environment appears not to be the media’s priority in India. There are no designated journalists appointed by newspapers and television channels to regularly cover the environment. It is only during events like floods and cyclones that certain segments of the media conduct some reportage. This point is reemphasised in a book by Poornananda (2022) titled Environmental Journalism: Reporting on Environmental Concerns and Climate Change in India. It analyses how media take part in covering environmental issues in India and whether media help promote environmental activism. The author takes agenda-setting theory as the framework to discuss how media cover environmental issues. In other words, he looks at environmental journalism in India in terms of its role and capacity to set the agenda for larger environmental discourse and activism.