Environmental Journalism under Constraint: Literacy, Normative Pressures, and Institutional Gaps in Bangladesh

Environmental journalism in climate-vulnerable settings requires scientific literacy, policy expertise, and a deep engagement with local communities. Centering Bangladesh, this study examines how journalists navigate information gaps, institutional limits, and sociopolitical pressures in covering environmental issues. Drawing on qualitative insights from professional practice and interviews, the analysis investigates the routine pull of event-led coverage. It explores the newsroom capacity, training ecologies, and political frictions that influence story selection and depth. Rather than advancing a single diagnosis, this paper surfaces tensions that structure everyday reporting and identifies consequential junctures where local knowledge, accountability practices, and media routines intersect. By clarifying these dynamics, the study guides editors, funders, and regulators seeking evidence-informed ways to strengthen environmental reporting, safeguard press autonomy, and improve the translation of complex science into actionable public understanding, an agenda essential for societies on the frontlines of environmental disruption.