ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the factors that influence environmental journalism in the global South based on the hierarchy of influences model. It begins by presenting the factor that exerts influence at the macro level – the concept of development journalism. Most countries in the global South are striving for socio-economic development. As these countries emerged from colonialism in the 1960s, journalism was expected to play a key role in facilitating and fostering national development by informing and educating citizens. The chapter takes a closer look at influences at the meso level, such as routines of media organizations and environmental journalists. At the organizational level, media organizations in the global South scarcely prioritize coverage of environmental issues due to their commercial interests. The chapter looks at the micro-level factor – the individual role of the journalist. Environmental reporting in the country heavily relies on individual journalists’ initiative, exposure and effort.
