"Definitive" Study Of Media Climate Coverage Says All Is Well- But Omits Television, Fox News

[hatrack]

n a new report titled "Climate Shift: Clear Vision For The Next Decade Of Public Debate," Matthew Nisbet of American University attempts to debunk environmentalists' complaints about media coverage of climate change. However, the evidence presented in the report is far more limited than the conclusion it seeks to draw.

Joe Romm of ClimateProgress reported on April 18 that environmental communication expert Robert J. Brulle "had his name pulled off the report's list of expert paid reviewers late last week when he finally saw the whole finished report." Brulle disputes the report's conclusion that environmental groups "have closed the financial gap with their longstanding opponents among conservative think tanks, groups and industry associations."

Brulle also takes issue with the report's media analysis. Nisbet states in the Executive Summary of the report that "the era of false balance in news coverage of climate science has come to an end. In comparison to other factors, the impact of conservative media and commentators on wider public opinion remains limited."

EDIT

Nisbet set out to "assess the performance of the mainstream news media in 2009 and 2010" and concludes in his Executive Summary that "major U.S. news organizations have overwhelmingly portrayed the consensus view on the reality and causes of climate change" (the consensus view being that global warming is real and humans are contributing to it.) Nisbet's broader argument is that environmentalists were not "out-communicated" by their opponents during the debate over cap and trade legislation in 2009 and 2010. However, the study was limited to only 5 news outlets: The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN.com, Politico and The Wall Street Journal.

EDIT

http://mediamatters.org/blog/201104180022