Browse > Article

A Study on Accuracy of Environmental Reporting in Korean Major Dailies  

Ahn Jong-ju (서울대학교 보건대학원)
Publication Information
Journal of Environmental Health Sciences / v.28, no.1, 2002 , pp. 31-39 More about this Journal
Abstract
Generally, inaccurate reports on environmental issues occur due to various factors. The purpose of this study was to find out a way to enhance accuracy of environmental reporting. So the reporters' career and college major had been compared to the accuracy of their articles. The by-lined environmental articles in nine dailies published in 1991 were checked. Results of this study were as follows. (I) Inaccuracy rate in environmental articles was 54.2%. Inaccuracies appeared 1.7 times per an article, while the average frequency of inaccuracies in overall articles was 0.9 time. (2) Errors in the articles consist of 65.8% of subjective inaccuracies and 34.2% of subjective inaccuracies. They derive from the false usage of terminology(15.8% ),misquotation(14.5%), incorrect statistics(13%), exaggeration(13%), inaccurate title(7.9%), and false comparison(5%). (3) Inaccuracy rate by the type of articles was 66.7% in columns, 60% in feature stories, 54.5% in-depth stories, 40.9% in straight news, respectively. (4) Inaccuracy rate by the specific field was shown 71.4% in environmental impacts assessment, 52.5% in water pollution, 37.5% in waste management, and 35.7% in air pollution. (5) According to the result of chi-square test analysis, there were no statistically significant differences of inaccuracy rate and of subjective, and objective inaccuracies relevant to the period of reporters' career covering environmental reporting and the nature of articles, and college major.
Keywords
inaccuracy; subjective inaccuracy; objective inaccuracy; error;
Citations & Related Records
연도 인용수 순위
  • Reference
1 차배근 : 오보의 발생원인과 정정의 책임, 신문과 방송. 제223호, 한국언론연구원, 4-18, 1989
2 Berry, F.C., Jr. : A Study of Accuracy in Local News Stories of the three Dailies. Joumalism Quarterly, Vol.3, 482-490,1967
3 Lawrence, G. C., and Grey, D. R. : Subjective Inaccuracies in Local News Reporting. Journalism Quarterly, Winter, 753-757,1964
4 임병국 : 한국 일간신문의 오보와 그 구제에 관한 연구. 경희대 대학원 박사학위 논문, 11-14, 1991
5 Singletary M. W, : How Editors view Accuracy in News Reporting. Journalism Quarterly, Winter, 786-789, 1977
6 최윤희 : 보건커뮤니케이션의 연구경향과 문제점. 신문연구 통권 제54호, 관훈클럽, 1992
7 Greenberg, B.S. and Tannenbaum, P. H. : Communicator Performance under Cognitive Stress. Journalism Quarterly, Spring, 169-178, 1962
8 신문과 방송. 11,7-8,1989
9 Charnley, M. : Preliminary Notes on a Study of Newspaper Accuracy. Journalism Quarterly, 13, 394-401, 1936
10 Pulford, D. L. : Follow-up Study of Newspaper Accuracy, Journalism Quarterly, 53, 119-121, 1976   DOI
11 Tankard, J. W. et al. : News Source Perceptions of Accuracy of Science Coverage, Journalism Quarterly, 51, 219-224, 1977
12 Brown, C. A.: Majority of Readers give Newspapers for accuracy. Editor & Publisher, Feb, 1965
13 한국언론연구원 : 신문보도의 정확성. 1-65, 1984