A (non) agenda setting study: News coverage of electric vehicles and their popularity in Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

This article explores the news media framing of electric vehicles (EVs) in New Zealand and theorises the role it may have played in the uptake of EVs in the country. The results were unexpected; the positive valence of EVs, battery life, carbon emissions, the environment, range, public or personal costs, positive public opinion, positive evaluative language, and battery reusage were not emphasised at all in coverage. Despite the lacklustre media coverage of EVs in New Zealand, the sales of EVs went up. This disconnect between previous research detailing the importance of positive media framing and subsequent behaviour has implications for further research examining media effects.

Keywords

• climate change
• electric car
• EV
• media framing
• newspapers
• New Zealand