Forum for Effective Communication between Mass Media and Researchers

Abstract

　 We discuss the possibilities and the issues of developing more effective tool for communication of climate change between mass media and researchers. Firstly, for an understanding of the actual situation of the communication between media and researchers, we explored mass media needs of information about climate change risk and issues in information-gathering by semi-structured interview surveys. We have found that confidence-building and relationship-building between mass media and researchers are the keys to promote communication of climate change risks. Based on these result, we designed and conducted the dialogue forum with the aim of building confidence and a relationship between mass media and researchers. The empirical observations indicate that the forum made some contribution for relationship-building. However, results of interview survey showed that journalists made different remarks about contents of the discussions depend on their work. We should consider the number of participants and specific target based on clear picture of the output of dialogue.