Recognized but Not Regularly Reported: Journalists’ Prioritization of Climate Change in Mainstream Nepali Media

Abstract

Climate change has become one of the defining public issues of the twenty-first century, yet its position within everyday journalism remains uneven, especially in politically crowded news environments. This study examines how mainstream Nepali journalists prioritize climate change and what factors shape that prioritization. Using a structured survey of 52 journalists and editors working in print, radio, television, and online media, the article analyzes newsroom attitudes through the combined lenses of agenda-setting and gatekeeping. The findings reveal a striking tension. On the one hand, most respondents recognize climate change as a critical issue for Nepali society (82.7%), believe that it deserves more media attention (84.6%), and agree that media coverage can raise public awareness (84.6%). On the other hand, actual reporting remains inconsistent: climate issues are covered only occasionally by the largest share of respondents (42.3%), and the overall editorial priority of climate reporting is most often rated as merely moderate (57.7%), with nearly one-third rating it low or very low. Data availability (51.9%) and training or expertise (50.0%) emerge as the strongest influences on prioritization, while lack of resources (76.9%) and inadequate editorial backing (84.6%) are widely perceived as major constraints. The study argues that climate change in Nepali media is normatively acknowledged but operationally marginalized. To improve climate journalism, media organizations in Nepal need stronger editorial commitment, specialized training, more accessible expert and data networks, and a shift from episodic disaster coverage toward sustained reporting on climate processes, justice, adaptation, and everyday livelihoods.