The evidence-context interactions: How scientific findings become politicized

Abstract

This study examines how scientific evidence is presented and contextualized in the news coverage of Fukushima wastewater release in China Global Television Network (CGTN) and The Japan Times. While evidence boosts credibility and counters falsehoods, it is sometimes intertwined with political cues (e.g., ideologies, values) and used to favor political actions. Based on the framing theory, this study conducts content and network analyses and finds that 1) CGTN is more likely to report anti-water release scientific evidence and associate them with science skepticism, public fear and anger, and environmental concerns; 2) The Japan Times is more likely to report pro-water release scientific evidence and associate them with safety assurances and water release legitimacy; 3) the two outlets show consistent patterns of evidence-context interactions and both confirm their countries’ diplomatic stances and actions. The findings contribute to framing and science politicization and carry implications for examining information clusters.