The Environmental Issues in The Qatari Newspapers

Abstract

The purpose behind this study is to highlight the Qatari newspapers coverage of environmental issues with regard to quantity, quality, geographical sphere, place in the newspapers, source and writing style. The study also discusses to what extent these newspapers are concerned with the environment, as well as their contribution toward making people environmentally as aware. This study has scrutinized (1191) issues of the Qatari daily newspapers, from the 1st of July 2003 up to the 31st of July 2004. After searching environment related topics published in these newspapers. The study concludes that: - The newspapers are concerned with wildlife life at the expense of the environmental issues. - In comparison to other geographical spheres, the environment has gained more coverage. However, this coverage has focused on the activities of environmental institutions without a proper analysis or serious discussion. The Arabian and regional environmental issues were clearly over looked. - Environment-related topics don’t have front page priority in publishing. - Most environmental issues are in the form of news. Writers, caricaturists and readers usually ignore them. The study provides the following recommendations: Specifying a daily page in each newspaper for environmental affairs and training the concerned staff as well. Newspapers should have freedom to write a bout local environment issues. Giving up the traditional writing style while handling this issue. Regional and Arabian environmental issues should be paid more attention.