#ClimateEmergency

the use of constructive journalism in Portuguese media regarding climate change

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34629/cpublica.935

Keywords:

Constructive Journalism, Climate Emergency, Instagram, Climate Change

Abstract

This paper analyses how the climate emergency topic is presented and framed by Portuguese media, in Instagram Reels content, through case studies of RTP (the public service media) and Azul, a climate-focused digital project from Público newspaper. Using thematic and interpretative content analysis, the study applies the constructive journalism paradigm (Hermans & Gyldensted, 2019) and framing theory (Entman, 1993; McCombs, 1997). Findings indicate that climate emergency coverage remains limited and is often secondary to politics and weather phenomena, revealing insufficient use of digital social media’s potential for constructive storytelling. The constructive journalism principles have not been fully integrated, highlighting a lack of solution-oriented reporting, limited contextualisation, and absence of future-focused narratives.

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Author Biography

  • Paula Cordeiro, Universidade de Lisboa

    She teaches radio at the University of Lisbon, has led communities of professionals and researchers in the field, and has been a consultant for national and international radio stations. She launched her first podcast in 2015. She was the Listener Ombudsman at RTP (Portuguese public television), created Urbanista, a digital magazine, and launched and produced radio programs and podcasts. She launched and coordinated NiTfm, NiT's online radio station. Among other works, she is the author of the book Vida Instagramável (Instagrammable Life) and articles for Público and Sábado newspapers. She researches radio, sustainability, and digital communication trends, and is on the radio to explore the role of women in the world of wine (NiT) and discuss digital literacy (TSF).

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Published

2025-12-15

Issue

Section

Special Issue: Public Service Media and Innovation

How to Cite

#ClimateEmergency: the use of constructive journalism in Portuguese media regarding climate change. (2025). Comunicação Pública, 20(39). https://doi.org/10.34629/cpublica.935