Author(s):
Forrest Stagner, J. Arbuckle, Chris Morris, Frank Montabon, Michael Helbing
Abstract:
This dataset contains structured information derived from U.S. media coverage of on-farm anaerobic digestion between 1979 and 2023. The data were compiled through systematic searches of the LexisNexis database using keywords related to anaerobic digestion, livestock operations, and biogas production. Retrieved records were screened using defined inclusion and exclusion criteria to remove duplicate, irrelevant, or non–farm-related content.
The final analytical dataset includes 475 newspaper, television, and radio transcripts, each represented as a single record. For each transcript, variables include publication metadata (e.g., outlet, date, location), a coded sentiment score on a five-point ordinal scale (very negative to very positive), and associated contextual variables such as state-level digester counts, population, political classification, and regional classification. Additional derived variables summarize sentiment across time, geography, and publication sources, and include lagged and aggregated measures designed to support temporal and spatial analysis.
These data support research on media representation, public discourse, and the geographic and temporal distribution of anaerobic digestion coverage. The dataset may also be applied to studies of technology perception, policy communication, and the relationship between infrastructure development and media narratives.
Funder:
USDA NIFA
Award Title:
Consortium for Cultivating Human And Naturally reGenerative Enterprises: Grass2Gas
Award Number:
2020-68012-31824
Keywords:
anaerobic digestion, biodigestion, bioenergy, biogas, biomethane, manure management, renewable natural gas, sustainable agriculture
Project (Abbreviated name):
G2G_Stagner_media_sentiment
Team:
Grass2Gas
Geographic Location:
The United States of America
Related Publications
Data Mirror:
Data Table Column Names and Descriptions
| Table name | Column name | Data type | Units | Column description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| articles raw | City | string | NA | The city where the publication is located. |
| articles raw | Date | dateTime | NA | The article's publication date. |
| articles raw | Duplicate | string | NA | A note describing possible duplication between this article and others in the list. |
| articles raw | Headline | string | NA | The newspaper article headline. |
| articles raw | ID | integer | dimensionless | A unique primary key for this table. |
| articles raw | Publication outlet | string | NA | The newspaper article publisher. |
| articles raw | State | string | NA | The state the publication covers. |
| dataset content analysis | Area | float | mileSquared | Area of state in square miles. |
| dataset content analysis | City | string | NA | The city where the publication is located, or "National" if the outlet covers the entire United States. |
| dataset content analysis | Date | dateTime | NA | The article's publication date. |
| dataset content analysis | Headline | string | NA | The newspaper article headline. |
| dataset content analysis | ID | integer | dimensionless | A unique primary key for this table. Missing values typically represent deduplication of articles. |
| dataset content analysis | INEX | string | NA | Inclusion and exclusion criteria applied (Yes = included in all analyses, No = excluded). |
| dataset content analysis | Publicationoutlet | string | NA | The newspaper article publisher. |
| dataset content analysis | RED BLUE | string | NA | Political leaning of the state based on presidential electoral votes from 2016 onward. |
| dataset content analysis | SBR | float | sentimentIndex | Mean sentiment of transcripts by region. |
| dataset content analysis | SBRY | float | sentimentIndex | Mean sentiment of transcripts by region and year |
| dataset content analysis | SBS | float | sentimentIndex | Mean sentiment of transcripts by state. |
| dataset content analysis | SBSY | float | sentimentIndex | Mean sentiment of transcripts by state and year. |
| dataset content analysis | SBY | float | sentimentIndex | Mean sentiment of transcripts by year. |
| dataset content analysis | SENT | string | NA | Sentiment of the transcript from "very negative" (1) to "very positive" (5). |
| dataset content analysis | STATE | float | dimensionless | Duplicate of state_num. |
| dataset content analysis | State | string | NA | The state where the publication is located, or "National" if the publication covers the entire United States. |
| dataset content analysis | dig dense1k | float | countPerThousandMilesSquared | Number of digesters per 1,000 square miles in a state in year of transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | digs added f1 | float | number | Number of digesters added in the state 1 year after transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | digs added f2 | float | number | Number of digesters added in the state 2 years after transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | digs added f3 | float | number | Number of digesters added in the state 3 years after transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | digs per cap | float | countPerPerson | Digesters per capita in the state or area. |
| dataset content analysis | digs per cap f1 | float | countPerPerson | Digesters per capita in the state 1 year after transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | digs per cap f2 | float | countPerPerson | Digesters per capita in the state 2 years after transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | digs per cap f3 | float | countPerPerson | Digesters per capita in the state 3 years after transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | dpcap increase f1 | float | countPerPerson | Increase in digester density in the state per capita 1 year after transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | dpcap increase f2 | float | countPerPerson | Increase in digester density in the state per capita 2 years after transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | dpcap increase f3 | float | countPerPerson | Increase in digester density in the state per capita 3 years after transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | dpcap100k | float | countPerHundredThousandPeople | Digester density in the state per 100,000 residents. |
| dataset content analysis | dpcap100k increase f2 | float | countPerHundredThousandPeople | Increase in digester density in the state per 100,000 residents 2 years after transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | dpcap1k | float | countPerThousandPeople | Digester density in the state per 1,000 residents. |
| dataset content analysis | f1 dig dense1k | float | countPerThousandMilesSquared | Number of digesters per 1,000 square miles in a state 1 year after transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | f2 dense increase | float | countPerThousandMilesSquared | Increase in density of digesters in the state 2 years after transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | f2 dig dense1k | float | countPerThousandMilesSquared | Number of digesters per 1,000 square miles in a state 2 years after transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | f3 dense increase | float | countPerThousandMilesSquared | Increase in density of digesters 3 years after transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | f3 dig dense1k | float | countPerThousandMilesSquared | Number of digesters per 1,000 square miles in a state 3 years after transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | gget | string | NA | Whether the state has a greenhouse gas emissions target (1 = yes, 0 = no). |
| dataset content analysis | ln trans count | float | number | Natural log of transcripts by state and year. |
| dataset content analysis | mean weight | float | dimensionless | Mean 'weight' of all transcripts. |
| dataset content analysis | no digs | float | number | Total number of operational digesters in year of transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | no digs f1 | float | number | Total number of digesters in the state 1 year after transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | no digs f2 | float | number | Total number of digesters in the state 2 years after transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | no digs f3 | float | number | Total number of digesters in the state 3 years after transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | no digs p1 | float | number | Number of digesters added in the state 1 year prior to transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | no digs p2 | float | number | Number of digesters added in the state 2 years prior to transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | no digsp3 | float | number | Number of digesters added in the state 3 years prior to transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | norm weight | float | dimensionless | Normalized 'weight' (i.e., 'weight' divided by 'mean_weight'). |
| dataset content analysis | p1 dense increase | float | countPerThousandMilesSquared | Increase in digester density in the state from previous year 1 year prior to transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | p1 dig dense1k | float | countPerThousandMilesSquared | Digester density in the state per 1,000 square miles 1 year prior to transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | p2 dense increase | float | countPerThousandMilesSquared | Increase in digester density in the state from previous year 2 years prior to transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | p2 dig dense1k | float | countPerThousandMilesSquared | Digester density in the state per 1,000 square miles 2 years prior to transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | p3 dense increase | float | countPerThousandMilesSquared | Increase in digester density in the state from previous year 3 years prior to transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | p3 dig dense1k | float | countPerThousandMilesSquared | Digester density in the state per 1,000 square miles 3 years prior to transcript. |
| dataset content analysis | population | float | number | State population in year of transcript as estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau. |
| dataset content analysis | population f1 | float | number | State population 1 year after transcript as estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau. |
| dataset content analysis | population f2 | float | number | State population 2 years after transcript as estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau. |
| dataset content analysis | population f3 | float | number | State population 3 years after transcript as estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau. |
| dataset content analysis | pub count | integer | number | Number of transcripts per publication outlet. |
| dataset content analysis | pub prop | float | dimensionless | Proportion of a publication outlet's transcripts over total number of transcripts. |
| dataset content analysis | region | string | NA | Region in which the state resides. |
| dataset content analysis | state num | float | dimensionless | State converted to integer to allow for analysis. |
| dataset content analysis | total trans | float | number | Total number of transcripts used in analysis. |
| dataset content analysis | trans count | integer | number | Total transcripts by state and year. |
| dataset content analysis | weight | float | dimensionless | Inverse of 'pub_prop' (i.e., 1/pub_prop). |
| dataset content analysis | year | integer | number | The year the article was published. |