Reporting on the Environmental Crisis - Investigating Solutions-Focused Journalism in Swedish News Media

Abstract

Aim/research problem: Given the urgency of the Triple Planetary Crisis and the rising phenomenon of news avoidance, it has become increasingly important to examine how news media address these dual challenges. This study contributes to the growing field of solutions-focused journalism by analysing how such reporting is manifested in Swedish mainstream environmental news coverage. It further investigated what types of solutions were prioritised and how the reporting aligned with normative ideals of journalism. Theory: The study applied theories of solutions-focused journalism and normative ideals of journalism (accuracy, objectivity, and scrutiny). The findings were further discussed through the lenses of agenda-setting theory, culturally resonant frames and dominant paradigms, and journalism’s role in democratic societies (monitoring, facilitative, and radical). Methods: A quantitative content analysis was conducted on news articles reporting on the Triple Planetary Crisis. The analysis focused on the prevalence of solutions-focused journalism, the types of solutions presented, and how these were reported in terms of tone, evidence, critical examination, and level of agreement. Material: The material consisted of news articles published between October 1, 2024, and February 28, 2025, in the Swedish mainstream news media outlets SVT Nyheter, Dagens Nyheter, and Svenska Dagbladet. The sample included text-format material from articles in web and print formats. Results: (1) Solutions-focused journalism constituted a minority of Swedish news media’s reporting of the Triple Planetary Crisis. (2) Prominent solutions concerned policy, and technology, and to some extent business strategies, while solutions related to individual behaviour and collective action were underrepresented. (3) Solutions were typically reported with positive tones, vague evidence, and limited critical examination, although they frequently portrayed solutions as part of a conflict. (4) The salience and framing of solutions reflected a preference for culturally resonant narratives aligned with dominant paradigms, which leaves the public with a limited set of frames for understanding the Triple Planetary Crisis. (5) The reporting style raises concerns for journalism’s ability to uphold its normative ideals and challenge the role of journalism in democratic societies.