Mechanisms of mass media participation in environmental policymaking

Abstract

Ecological crisis became the most acute global problem of the present. But unfortunately environmental issues are still not seen as primarily important on the national and international political agenda. Mass media as independent political actor of the «information age» have an essential meaning in creating the effective environmental policy, both on national and international level. On each stage of a political cycle they play a different role. Mass media build cooperation-conflict «relationships» with traditional branches of democratic government. Civil society can affect the state policymaking using the power of the mass media as well.