Telling the red tide story: Framing and news media coverage in Florida

Introduction One of the central themes in media effects studies is the agenda-setting role of mass media, which argues that the mass media impact heavily on the dominant issues being discussed in the public agenda. Furthermore, scholars have argued over media's “framing” effects, which draws attention to how particular news coverage attributes dominate – or frame – the way certain topics are addressed among publics. Based on framing theory, this study focuses on news media reporting about harmful algae blooms (specifically Florida red tides) along the Southwest Coast of Florida over the past decade.

Methods This study examines news content related to Florida red tide in three standard metropolitan statistical areas as suggested by US Census Bureau along the Florida Gulf Coast: Sarasota-Bradenton, Tampa Bay–St. Petersburg, and Bonita Springs-Naples. Twelve years of data are content analyzed through the NewsBank and the Lexis-Nexis from four major local newspapers. A coding scheme is designed based on previous literature and pretested for reliability and validity. Two graduate students work independently as the coders. The study looks at the types, quality, and amounts of sources journalists used to report the story, subjects discussed within each story, and other coverage characteristics. Finally, the study looks at coverage findings in the context of hospital occupancy, regional tourism, and timing of red tide breakouts between 2000 and 2012.

Results The study aims to find how the red tide story is framed by the media, e.g., as a human health risk issue, an environmental story focused on marine animal threats, a business story emphasizing tourism and recreation, etc. We are also interested in how the health-related information was communicated by the news coverage.

Conclusions The study findings will offer insights as to the long-term outcome of public awareness and perception of Florida red tide.