Call for manuscripts for special issue of the New Zealand Journal of
Media Studies
New Zealand Media & Environment
Guest editors: Angi Buettner (Victoria University of Wellington, NZ)
and Geoff Craig (Otago University, NZ)
Manuscript deadline: 5 March 2010
In December 2009 climate change talks will be held in Copenhagen to
agree on a treaty to replace the Kyoto protocol. The lead-up to the
talks is a time to investigate the state of environmental reportage
in New Zealand. The environment is crucial to New Zealand's social
and economic future, and dialogue between news media professionals
and environmental stakeholders is necessary to enhance the quality
of public debate and public understanding about environmental issues.
One such site of dialogue is the New Zealand Media & Environment
Forum, jointly sponsored by the Department of Politics, the Centre
for Science Communication and the Political Communication, Policy
and Participation Research Cluster at the University of Otago, held
in Dunedin, November 6, 2009.
The news media are crucial to our understandings about the
environment. They select which environmental issues to present and
who gets to speak about those issues. The news media have the
challenge of presenting science, politics, and everyday
ramifications of environmental change to the New Zealand public at a
time when their own industry is undergoing tremendous change. Those
who wish to speak publicly about the environment must engage
productively with journalists and editors.
With this special issue we invite contributions that examine the
role of the media in the communication and understanding of
environmental issues in New Zealand, and encourage dialogue between
news media professionals and environmental stakeholders (scientists,
politicians, activists, and the wider community).
Topics may include, but are not restricted to, the following:
- How should the news media report on the science of climate change?
- How well does the media perform in its reportage on politics
and the environment?
- What dynamics inform the relationships between journalists
and their sources in environmental reportage?
- What role do the Internet and new media play in environmental politics?
- How important is reportage about everyday environmental practices?
Manuscripts should not exceed 7,500 words including notes and
references. Please refer to the Submissions page on the New Zealand
Journal of Media Studies webpage
(http://www.nzmediastudies.org.nz/submissions.php) for manuscript
submission guidelines. Please send manuscripts as an email
attachment to Angi Buettner ((angi.buettner /at/ vuw.ac.nz)) and Geoff
Craig ((geoff.craig /at/ otago.ac.nz)) by 5 March 2010.
________________________________
dr angi buettner
school of english, film, theatre, and media studies
victoria university of wellington
42-44 Kelburn Parade
p.o. box 600
wellington
new zealand
e (angi.buettner /at/ vuw.ac.nz)
p +64 4 463 5070
f +64 4 463 5091
