Local media roles in defining hazardous waste as a social problem: The case of Sumter County, Alabama

Abstract

Sumter County, Alabama is host to the nation's largest commercial hazardous waste landfill. The purpose of this article is to examine how the two weekly newspapers published in Sumter County define the hazardous waste issue for local citizens. Coverage of the hazardous waste issue by these two newspapers was examined for the period 1978–1988. The starting point of this 11‐year period coincides with the opening of the landfill and continues through a period of statewide public debate concerning the facility. Virtually no coverage of the hazardous waste issue occurred during the first 3 years of the facility's operations. The amount of space devoted to hazardous waste management increased slowly until 1988, when growing statewide attention to this issue resulted in expanded local coverage. During 1987 and 1988, the overall tone of the articles in these two newspapers became increasingly critical of the hazardous waste industry. These general patterns hold for both local papers, although differences exist and are discussed. It is concluded that the local media play an active role in defining social problems and in legitimizing established positions on controversial issues.