Hydraulic Fracturing and the role of the media

HYDRAULIC FRACTURING AND THE ROLE OF MEDIA

Abstract
The gas and oil industry has continued to receive attention not only from the media but also from NGOs, and the public on the issues relating to the impact of hydraulic fracturing on the environment and water resources. The power of media including social media has greatly influenced the attitudes of people towards hydraulic fracturing process resulted into wrong information spread the public. Therefore, the need for an accurate and transparent account of hydraulic fracturing process by the media is very much crucial if the industry is to be sustainable and therefore, protect it from the need of intrusive policy.
This study was conducted to find out the role of media in disseminating such information to the public. This study took the qualitative design approach whereby the respondents were interviewed in their stations. In order to make the understanding easier and ensure the result were quality; the interviews were carried out in the interviewee’s language of choice. In the situation when the researcher was unable to understand the language of the respondent, an interpreter was sought to assist in. The sample involved respondents from groups of population, settlements, and provinces in the whole spectrum. A disproportionately high number of respondents were sought from areas where hydraulic fracturing was taking place so as to give a true reflection on the status of things. The analysis state weighed in all the findings in presenting the views of the population.
Although the media is expected to provide factual and unbiased information with regard to hydraulic fracturing the study has interestingly established that most of the media information so disseminated is based on negative aspects leaving out the positive ones. Some of the blame for this aspect to the gas and oil industry players who will fail to cooperate with the media players and provide them with the reliable information. The failure of the industry players in being transparent has resulted in the public having more trust to these media players in providing them with the related information. This in turn has resulted in many people developing negative attitudes towards hydraulic fracturing process since the media relies on unreliable sources.

Table of Contents
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Abstract  PAGEREF _Toc351139817 \h
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CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION  PAGEREF _Toc351139818 \h
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1.1 Executive Summary  PAGEREF _Toc351139819 \h
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1.2 Purpose of the study  PAGEREF _Toc351139820 \h
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1.3 Statement of the problem  PAGEREF _Toc351139821 \h
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1.4 Researcher’s Role  PAGEREF _Toc351139822 \h
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1.5 Research Questions  PAGEREF _Toc35113...