An Analysis of North Atlantic Right Whale News Coverage

The critically endangered North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis; NARW) feeds and breeds along the coast of the US and Canada, exposing it to high threats of vessel strikes and fishing gear entanglements. In an era of climate change, rapid and unexpected oceanographic shifts are causing right whales to change their distribution. As right whales use novel habitats or change the seasonal patterns in their traditional habitats, their exposure to these threats increases. Since effective NARW protective measures largely hinge on public and stakeholder collective support and action, the role of news coverage is critical. This study builds and analyzes a database of news articles published from 2000-2022 collected using LexisNexis, a news-scraping research software, and analyzes the spatial, temporal, and thematic patterns of NARW news coverage and policy trends along the NARW habitat range years prior to and in response to the 2017 NARW unusual mortality event. Preliminary results from the 5 years currently under analysis depict some valuable results for characterizing public exposure to NARW issues. From observed initial patterns, news coverage is higher in Canada relative to the USA. Most news coverage focuses on policy developments and critiques, followed by updates to the NARW population status. Geographic patterns in news coverage of vessel strikes and entanglements do not align well with the location where these injuries and mortalities occurred, suggesting that news agencies may prefer to highlight distant issues rather than cultivate blame for local threats. The news media is a prominent force that shapes public opinion and, consequently, environmental policies and public action. This study gives insight into how science communication may influence policy development and threat mitigation for this critically endangered species.

Presentation Preference: Oral

Primary Presenter: Amadi Afua Sefah-Twerefour, University of South Carolina (School of the Earth, Ocean and the Environment) (staamadi@seoe.sc.edu)

Authors:

Amadi Afua Sefah-Twerefour, University of South Carolina  (staamadi@seoe.sc.edu)

Joshua Meyer-Gutbrod, University of South Carolina (Political Science Department)  (MEYERGUJ@mailbox.sc.edu)

Laura Doughton, University of South Carolina  (DOUGHTOL@email.sc.edu)

Hunter Ohmann, University of South Carolina  (HLOHMANN@email.sc.edu)

Maddie Rich, University of South Carolina  (RICHMG@email.sc.edu)

Lily Bosch, University of South Carolina  (LBOSCH@email.sc.edu)

Maddie Essex, University of South Carolina  (MEESSEX@email.sc.edu)

Ainsley Helms, University of South Carolina  (ANH15@email.sc.edu)

Elizabeth Calhoun, University of South Carolina  (eclairecal@gmail.com)

Elliot Harkins, University of South Carolina  (HARKINST@email.sc.edu)

Adelaide DiMeglio, University of South Carolina  (DIMEGLIO@email.sc.edu)

Erin Meyer-Gutbrod, University of South Carolina  (emgutbrod@seoe.sc.edu)