Reflections on Journalism Education for the Environment, Sustainable Development and Conservation. Approaches and Narratives of the Romanian Media about Brown Bears

Abstract

Abstract Caused by the lack of ecological education and the precariousness of knowledge and documentation from scientific sources, in the field of environment and conservation, but also given the context of intensely publicized episodes of the human-bear conflict, a significant part of the Romanian media covers such topics in a sensational-ist and unilateral manner, amplifying the idea of imminent danger and implicitly inducing emotions and feelings of fear, panic and hostility in relation to the brown bear (Ursus arctos), a wild species protected by law in Romania and in Europe. At another level of professionalism, the Romanian media outlets that practice quality journalism, cover the events in which brown bears are involved from a more equidistant view, with more responsibility, using data, reports, scientific studies and / or experts in the field of Environmental Science and Conservation. Unfortunately, the category of reactive, sensationalist, superficial approaches, with emphasis on the emotional side, clearly exceeds quantitatively the category of professional, factual, balanced approaches, which provide context and perspectives of specialists, constructively problematizing the situation of brown bears.