COVERAGE OF EDITORIALS ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN BANGLADESHI NEWSPAPERS

Saima Akter  Esha; Md. Shariful  Islam

doi:10.53808/KUS.SI.2023.ICSSI62-ss

Authors

Saima Akter Esha Mass Communication and Journalism Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna-9208, Bangladesh
Md. Shariful Islam Mass Communication and Journalism Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna-9208, Bangladesh

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53808/KUS.SI.2023.ICSSI62-ss

Keywords:

Coverage, Development, SDGs, Editorial, Newspaper

Abstract

Bangladesh is one of the most promising nations towards attaining Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since the SDGs were announced in September 2015, Bangladeshi print media have covered SDG-related issues. This study aims to examine the treatment, mode and theme of SDG-related editorials in Bangladeshi newspapers. Content analysis method has been applied to assess the coverage. Editorials (n=88) were collected from the two leading national newspapers in Bangladesh, The Daily Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, between April 1, 2022, and April 30, 2022, based on circulation and readership. A coding sheet has been developed to measure the coverage under 17 subcategories. These coding have been analyzed manually by two coders and NVivo-14 has been used for the thematic analysis of the editorials. The findings revealed that SDG goal 6: Clean water and sanitation has received the highest priority whereas SDG goals: Affordable energy, Gender equality and Life on land are the least covered area in the newspapers. It is also found that most of the entire editorials have been interpretatively written, while majority of them have adopted proactive approach. The most cited themes of these editorials are development, health and water. However, newspaper coverage has a significant impact on the adoption and implementation of public policies like SDGs. This study explored the extent to which the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are reflected in Bangladeshi newspapers.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Baran, J. S., & Davis, D. K. (2011). Mass Communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment, and Future (6th ed.). Wadsworth Publishing.

Barkemeyer, R., Figge, F., & Holt, L. D. (2017). Media coverage of climate change: An international comparison. Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space, 35(6), 1029-1054. https://doi.org/10.1177/0263774X16680818 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0263774X16680818

Bhattacharya, D., & Khan, T. I. (2020). Role of Media in Delivering the SDGs: A Mapping Exercise on Bangladesh. Centre for Policy Dialogue.

Brundtland, G. H. (1987). Our common future—Call for action. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0376892900016805 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0376892900016805

Department of Films and Publications. (2023). Most Circulated Newspapers in Bangladesh. Retrieved June 25, 2023, from http://www.dfp.gov.bd/site/page/6469f3ce-a47b-453f-84e6-c60e3732bae5/পত্র-পত্রিকার-প্রচার-সংখ্যা-ও-বিজ্ঞাপন-হার-মে-২০২৩

Ekeanyanwu, N. T., & Obianigwe, N. (2012). The Nigerian Press, Brown Envelope Syndrome (BES) and Media Professionalism: The Missing Link. Journalism and Mass Communication, 2(4), 514-529.

Irwansyah, I. (2018). How Indonesia media deal with Sustainable. E3S Web of Conferences, 74, 08014. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/20187408014 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/20187408014

Kayode, J. (2012). Nigerian Newspaper Coverage of the Millennium Development Goals: The Role of the Media. Itupale Online Journal of African Studies. 04 (01), ISSN 2043-6165.

Martin, E. S., Copeland, A. D., & Westport, C. P. (2003). The Function of Newspapers in Society: A Global Perspective. Praeger Publishing. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5040/9798400655142

McQuail, D. (2010). McQuail's Mass Communication Theory (6th ed.). Sage Publications.

Mefalopulos, P. (2008). Development Communication Sourcebook: Broadening the Boundaries of Communication. World Bank Publications. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1596/978-0-8213-7522-8

Neal, R. W. (1921). Editorials and Editorial-writing. Home Correspondence School.

Pandit, S. (2020). Sustainable Development Goals and Media Coverage by English Language News Channel Websites in Indian and International Context. International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering, 9(4S), ISSN: 2278-3075. DOI: https://doi.org/10.35940/ijitee.D1004.094S20

Sarker, S. (2012). News Reporting Writing and Editing. Gatidhara Publishing.

Schafer, S. M. (2013). What drives media attention for climate change? Explaining issue attention in Australian, German, and Indian print media from 1996 to 2010. International Communication Gazette. https://doi.org/10.1177/1748048513504169 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1748048513504169

Tabassum, S. (2021). Sustainable Development in Bangladesh. Retrieved January 05, 2022, from https://m.dailyinqilab.com/article/428720/

Talabi, F. O., & Adaja, T. A. (2019). A Content Analysis of Newspaper Coverage of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Campaign. International Journal of Communication: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Communication Studies. 24(1). https://journal.ijcunn.com/index.php/IJC/article/view/9

Titus, Z. (2017). The role of the media since the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals in Harare, Zimbabwe. Namibia Media Trust. Retrieved January 07, 2022, from: https://www.nmt.africa/uploads/5a2e5d9c4a234/TheroleofAfricanmediainpromotingandentrenchingtheethosoftheSDGs.pdf

Uehara, T., & Sakurai, R. (2021). Have Sustainable Development Goal Depictions Functioned as a Nudge for the Younger Generation before and during the COVID-19 Outbreak? Sustainability. 13(4), 1672. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041672 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041672

United Nations Development Programme. (2022). Profiling poverty beyond income shows where to have the biggest impact in a world in crisis. Retrieved January 08, 2022, from https://www.undp.org/press-releases/profiling-poverty-beyond-income-shows-where-have-biggest-impact-world-crisis

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. (2022). Inequality of opportunity in Asia and the Pacific: Financial inclusion 2022 update. Retrieved January 08, 2022, from https://www.unescap.org/kp/2022/inequality-opportunity-asia-and-pacific-financial-inclusion-2022-update?fbclid=IwAR1AMxplqsGJVSWIje5NVo-V_uErZzzWo-gOonNFNUu8pwLGcsEcxa4Vuho

United Nations Economic and Social Council. (2021). Millennium Development Goals and post-2015 Development Agenda and Development Affairs towards World. Retrieved January 05, 2022, from https://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/about/mdg.shtml?fbclid=IwAR0M5csZkPJuvaiEnQluCP1es0nDH5sFcfuqsZM4xaOcRvSf-yL-ldKFb5Q

United Nations. (2023). Sustainable Development Goals Report. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from: https://sdgs.un.org/gsdr/gsdr2023

Voci, D. (2022). Logos, Ethos, Pathos, Sustainabilitos? About the Role of Media Companies in Reaching Sustainable Development. Sustainability, 14(5), 2591. https:// doi.org/10.3390/su14052591 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14052591