Title: Awareness of oil pollution: dominant news frames used in reporting the menace among selected newspapers in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria

Authors: Chika Ebere Odoemelam; Nik Norma Nik Hasan

Addresses: School of Communication, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang, Malaysia ' School of Communication, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang, Malaysia

Abstract: Oil pollution is an important issue that has frequently attracted global attention. Awareness and adverse effects of oil pollution on the environment are well documented and researched in the advanced world. However, research about dominant news frames used to create awareness about oil pollution is almost scarce. As a result, the purpose of this study is to understand the dominant news frames used in creating awareness among the populace about oil pollution in Nigeria's Niger-Delta region from 2013-2016. A survey of 556 editions of the three selected newspapers was involved using the content analysis method. Our study found that the dominant news frames mostly used to create awareness about oil pollution in the Niger-Delta region were human interest, economic consequences, responsibility, and conflict frames. These frames focused on human health impacts, destruction of livelihood, perpetrators of oil pollution, and insecurity prevalent in the region. The findings may help environmentalists, oil-bearing communities, and policymakers do more to amplify awareness about the menace of oil pollution in Nigeria and elsewhere.

Keywords: awareness; oil pollution; news framing; newspapers; multinational oil companies; MOCs; Nigeria.

DOI: 10.1504/IER.2021.117800

Interdisciplinary Environmental Review, 2021 Vol.21 No.2, pp.127 - 147

Received: 13 Aug 2020
Accepted: 14 Mar 2021
Published online: 24 Sep 2021 *

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