Walsh et al.: Rural Journalists and Environmental Reporting

In Gleaning Rural Journalism: Rural Journalists' Agricultural and Environmental Reporting Utilizing Community Storytelling Networks, authors Jessica Walsh (Journalism, University of Nebraska-Lincoln), Mildred F. Perreault, Greg Perreault (both Advertising & Mass Communications, University of South Florida), and Ruth Moon (Media & Public Affairs, Louisiana State University) examine how rural journalists report to their communities about the environment.

The authors argue that rural journalists tend to be more connected to the local community and environment on which they report and more trusted than their national counterparts. Additionally, rural journalists are more likely to report on agricultural and environmental news specific to their community. This means that rural journalists are both trusted members of their communities and also many the main source of environmental news for their communities. Through interviews with rural journalists, the authors analyze the role rural journalists play when reporting on the environment.

The research shows that when rural journalists report on the environment, they usually do so from an agricultural perspective. For example, rural journalists are more likely to report about a drought harming local farmers than the reduced effects of field runoff. The interviews also revealed that rural journalists don’t view themselves as activists but as conduits of information important to rural communities. They will report about the local environment while avoiding broader conversations about climate change.

Rural journalists have an important role in reporting about the environment to their communities. However, the authors note that many rural journalists lack necessary resources to properly report on environmental issues outside of agriculture. By acknowledging both the important role that rural journalists play in environmental reporting, and their current shortage of resources to adequately cover environmental issues, the authors call for more investment and resources for rural journalists.