THE JOURNALISTIC FIELD AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATIONAL CAPITAL

Abstract

It can be observed that there has been a growing pervasiveness of environmental themes publicized through different journalistic genres and mediatic supports in the public mediatic space. Environmental agendas constitute transversal themes, infiltrating in editorial diversity of journalistic vehicles. Within this context, we start by questioning whether the media has been playing its role of socio-environmental edu-communicator, and how can this new mediatic activity be pointing to a citizen-like media, environmentally and socially responsible, acting towards a public communication? The purpose of this paper is reflecting upon the role of the mediatic field, particularly based on journalistic practices, in shaping public opinion on socio-environmental themes and their consequences in constructing citizenship of organizations, professionals and receivers. Ways are proposed to construct the socio-environmental communicational capital by the journalistic field, through the assumption that this area of expertise may enable the shaping of a public opinion focusing on sharing values concerning environmental citizenship, the perception of the interdependency among all life forms, the formation of ties of belonging among people and between them and the environment, and also the establishment of common goals for improving socioenvironmental conditions.