This study evaluates media coverage of two important environmental issues from the 1980s (acid rain and chlorofluorocarbons), providing historical context for current media coverage analysis. Focusing on popular magazine articles, this study identifies key characteristics of content and presentation. Content-related characteristics are inclusion of predictions, consequences, and the source (human-induced, natural) of the problem. Presentation-related characteristics describe the overall tone (environmental, industrial), intention of the author (positive, normative), and observable opinions on relevant legislation. Our results suggest magazine genre strongly impacts what is reported, but in almost all cases, reporting on environmental issues tends to have an environmental tone. (Contains 10 tables, 1 footnote, and 1 figure.)