ANALYSIS OF ECOLOGICAL ISSUES IN THE MEDIA AND A STRATEGY FOR IMPROVING CONTENT QUALITY

Abstract

This article analyzes the social significance of environmental journalism (EJ), highlighting that a primary cause of environmental degradation is the low level of public ecological awareness. Environmental journalism performs informational, educational, analytical, and organizational functions, with its core mission being to inform society about problems and successful practices in human-nature interaction. The article discusses the classification of environmental issues at the global, national, and household levels, and explains the media's role in shaping public salience through the "Agenda Setting" model. The scale of the ecological crisis, exemplified by the Aral Sea catastrophe in Uzbekistan, and the development of the national legislative framework (over 100 legal documents) are demonstrated. Key recommendations for eco-journalists include the necessity of employing Data Journalism and infographics, strictly adhering to scientific and ethical standards, and, crucially, offering solutions to problems rather than merely highlighting them.