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Appendix 4: Detailed description of methodology
The selection grid
The project began by undertaking a detailed analysis of the current situation regarding
sustainability in media to develop an overview of the market for different media format
that includes sustainability content. Focus areas were entertainment TV, print and web
2.0. To develop manageable set of cases that would be of value to analyse within this
project the research groups developed a selection grid to screen 33 entertainment
TV and 30 print/online media producers. The grid evaluated the cases against six
criteria:
Conventional (existing) and new media formats: Examples were selected to ensure
cases were drawn from both conventional and new media formats.
Role of the government: Examples were selected to profile innovative roles played
by government in supporting sustainability in the media, including the creation of
framework conditions and legislation, consultation roles, provision of educational
materials, design and implementation of events/panel discussions, and/or
financing functions.
National/international perspectives: Examples were selected to ensure cases were
drawn form both international and national levels.
Priority for mainstream media (users): Examples were selected where the
communication of sustainability topics reached large audiences/media users
(mainstream) rather than small niche audiences (the “info elite”).
Role of academic research: Examples were selected where there was a role played
by academic research in the design, implementation or evaluation of the media
content.
Promotion of change: Media formats were selected where the sustainability aspect of
the media aimed to promote positive change in the knowledge, attitudes and
behaviours of media consumers, an attribute particularly common in new media
formats.
On the basis of the criteria in the selection grid, ten media cases were selected to
represent good practice. Five were drawn from the entertainment TV genre with the
remaining five being drawn from the print/web 2.0 genres. In accordance with the
project objectives, three selected cases were national level cases were presented and
two from the international level. Although the main objective is to focus on national
level media initiatives, the analysis in this study indicated that there are useful lessons
that Germany/NRW can take from the experience in other countries, particularly with
respect to the strategic and systematic integration of sustainability content in media
and effective roles for government.