Features of media communication strategies in the context of framing the environmental image of a region

Media communication strategies act as one of the main drivers of framing the environmental image of territories. This article studies communication strategies through the lens of one of Rus-sia’s largest industrial centers, Chelyabinsk, using the example of its media outlets. The empirical basis consists of more than 150 articles with an ecological agenda published in leading online media outlets in the region for 2023, including the regional online newspaper “74.ru” and the news agency “First Regional” (1obl.ru). During the study, a sample of media texts was analyzed using content analysis elements according to three communication strategies: 1) discrediting actions that harm nature and the environment; 2) popularizing actions that promote a careful attitude to nature and the environment; 3) promoting actions aimed at environmental development. During the study of regional media coverage on ecology, we found that the three communication strategies were represented to varying degrees in the analyzed media. The most prominent strategies were “discrediting actions” in the online publication “74.ru” (81.48 % of media texts) and “promoting actions” in “First Regional” (1obl.ru – 51.87 % of media texts).