Rains, Tragedies and Media Coverage: Analysis of Floods In Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study is to present how the tragedy in Rio Grande do Sul is handled by the media, in order to observe whether it is being related to climate change.   Theoretical Framework: Environmental disasters have been intensifying with the great advances of human actions, which cause climate change and journalistic structures play a crucial role in shaping the public perception of natural disasters, framing them in the context of climate change.   Method: From the use of text mining techniques in reports published in Brazilian news portals about the floods in Rio Grande do Sul, a corpus of 100 texts from Google News was selected, being processed through the Voyant Tools software for extraction and analysis of textual data.   Results and Discussion: Media coverage of the tragedy in Rio Grande do Sul highlighted the social consequences and the impact on urban centers. The news simplifies the understanding of the causes of the tragedy, focusing mainly on heavy rains and neglecting factors such as global warming and El Niño. In addition, socioeconomic influences that amplify flood risks, such as poor infrastructure and housing conditions, were neglected in the discussions. The media also emphasized the importance of understanding the interaction between climate and geography to formulate strategies that minimize the effects of flooding and promote the sustainable development of the affected regions.   Research Implications: By revealing how climate change narratives are being integrated into coverage of natural disasters, this study helps to understand the role of the media in educating the public and influencing public perception of the need for climate mitigation and adaptation policies.   Originality/Value: This study examines how the Brazilian media approaches flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, highlighting the social consequences and the importance of understanding the interaction between climate and geography. Using text mining techniques to analyze a corpus of news stories, the research offers a succinct and objective analysis of media coverage, contributing to an understanding of communication about extreme weather events.