This paper is a by-product of our research effort on pollution and capital markets in developing countries. We believe of interest to the environmental community both within and outside the Bank to summarize and briefly analyze the content of this vast amount of information. Our most sincere thanks to Mrs. Maria Teresa Correa who for a period of 8 months collected this vast amount of information. We also thank Mr. Miodrag Deric for his research assistance. Finally we thank Mr. David Wheeler from the Development Research Group of the World Bank for his comments.
Usual disclaimers apply.
This document is also available in PDF format here . The mass media have generally been accepted as both an important motivator and indicator of public concerns. Ultimately, these perceptions can impact policy formulation and implementation. From an environmental perspective, the media have raised the level of environmental awareness and, rightly or wrongly, focused the attention of citizens on specific environmental issues. Public reaction to environmental news can filter back into the media and highlight specific policy issues.