Reporting hunger strikes in the context of climate action

Abstract

Climate activists have increasingly used hunger strikes to gather media attention to perceived inaction on the issue; however, there is little guidance for journalists about how they should approach such a story. Applying social responsibility theory to understand the media’s lack of action, and using a case study from an Australian climate hunger striker, this article set out to answer three questions: Should hunger strikes be treated by the media in the same way as suicide, or as a political protest action? Will providing coverage of a hunger strike encourage others to follow suit? And, if the media decides to cover a hunger strike, what if any mitigating factors could be used? Our work concludes that hunger strikes arise from political motivation, are newsworthy and should be covered, but editors must exercise caution, so as not to encourage imitation. Finally, we recommend that helplines should be included in reporting.