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The USA already set a record number of billion-dollar weather disasters in 2023
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Category:
Action Team
Description:
Our goal is to encourage local broadcast, print, and radio meteorologists (METs) to cover climate change in their news and social media communications to heighten public awareness and understanding of what is happening and what is and can be done to address climate change. Given local media’s desire to be viewed as objective, most news management may be reticent to support any specific legislation. So, rather than pitch legislative ideas to METs, we can focus on helping them to educate the general public and encourage public involvement
Note: You do not need to be a Meteorologist to join the Action Team!
The New User Guide for the Meteorologists Outreach Action Team can be found here.
Group:
Public
Members:
160
More Info
Met Action Team Communications Tracking on Google Sheet can be found here. Google Sheets how to video: https://youtu.be/_UWPaPer1MY
Advice on engaging TV meteorologists in your local market from Bob Lindmeier, chief meteorologist at WKOW-TV in Madison Wisconsin
How can we most effectively engage TV meteorologists in our local media market?
Station management and broadcast meteorologists are very sensitive to viewer feedback. Most station websites have email and phone numbers for these people. I would suggest emailing and/or calling all of the members of the broadcast meteorologist team, the news director, and the station manager, and express how important it is to you that they practice climate change education both on air and through social media.
If by chance it is noted by any in your CCL membership that climate change is mentioned on-air or in social media, respond as soon as possible with strong words of thanks for this effort. This email should go to the meteorologist, the news director, and the station manager.
What might cause the professional hesitation to comment on climate science, and have you heard in your meetings and discussions of a way around this?
There are several barriers that broadcast meteorologists face when it comes to expressing their views on climate change.
Are there network or management hurdles we may be unaware of?
Yes, there are several station groups (Fox and Sinclair come to mind) that have station group mandates preventing the discussion of climate change. You can research the climate change positions of the station groups in your market and gain further insight on whether this is a hindrance for the meteorologists. In addition, the station manager and/or news director in many instances has the final say regarding climate change coverage.
Advice on engaging TV meteorologists in your local market from Bob Lindmeier, chief meteorologist at WKOW-TV in Madison Wisconsin
How can we most effectively engage TV meteorologists in our local media market?
Station management and broadcast meteorologists are very sensitive to viewer feedback. Most station websites have email and phone numbers for these people. I would suggest emailing and/or calling all of the members of the broadcast meteorologist team, the news director, and the station manager, and express how important it is to you that they practice climate change education both on air and through social media.
If by chance it is noted by any in your CCL membership that climate change is mentioned on-air or in social media, respond as soon as possible with strong words of thanks for this effort. This email should go to the meteorologist, the news director, and the station manager.
What might cause the professional hesitation to comment on climate science, and have you heard in your meetings and discussions of a way around this?
There are several barriers that broadcast meteorologists face when it comes to expressing their views on climate change.
- They don't feel strongly enough about the science to express an opinion (this is becoming less the case though).
- Station management discourages or outright forbids the discussion of the subject. This can be a local management decision or a directive from corporate.
- The broadcast meteorologist is early in their career and are trying to build viewership. (if not enough viewers watch them, they'll lose their job). Discussing a controversial subject such as climate change may make them fearful that some viewers will not watch them.
- Some do not know enough about climate change to feel comfortable about speaking about the subject.
Are there network or management hurdles we may be unaware of?
Yes, there are several station groups (Fox and Sinclair come to mind) that have station group mandates preventing the discussion of climate change. You can research the climate change positions of the station groups in your market and gain further insight on whether this is a hindrance for the meteorologists. In addition, the station manager and/or news director in many instances has the final say regarding climate change coverage.