The Carleton University Survey Centre, based in the School of Journalism and Communication, is coordinating a comprehensive analysis of Canadian media coverage of international development. Led by School director Josh Greenberg, the research will examine the framing of development issues in leading print, broadcast and online news outlets.
“In the ruthless pursuit of balanced budgets, Canada’s overall aid spending has fallen to its lowest level in more than a decade,” Greenberg explains. “Yet, few Canadians are even aware of our international development priorities. As the Syrian refugee crisis illustrates, there is enormous pressure on Canada to do more than it is currently doing – but how much more should we do? How informed are Canadians about development issues and Canadian development policy?”
Greenberg notes that Canada has fallen miserably behind other countries like the U.K. in funding international development, and he points to a recent Brookings Institute Report which concluded that Britain’s commitments to meeting UN funding targets was “at least partly fuelled by very active public debates – more more active than in Canada.” The research hopes to look closely at these debates, at least those that were played out in the media.
The study is being co-led by Dr. Colette Brin, Director of the Media Studies Center in the Départment d’information et de communication at Université Laval.
Friday, September 25, 2015 in Communication News, News, Research
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