Download Trust in Sources of Information about Climate Change

TV Meteorologists as Climate Change Educators
Climate Science Workshop
August 12, 2011
Penn State University
Edward Maibach, PhD
Trust in Sources of Information about Climate Change:
General Public
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Sarah Palin
Al Gore
Barack Obama
Trust
Religious leaders
News media
TV weathercasters
Scientists
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Source: Leiserowitz, A., Maibach, E., & Roser-Renouf, C. (2010) Climate change in the American Mind: Americans’ global warming beliefs
and attitudes in January 2010. Yale University and George Mason University. New Haven, CT: Yale Project on Climate Change.
Trust in Sources of Information about Climate Change:
Local TV News Directors
Political leaders
Religious leaders
News media
IPCC
Science journals
Trust
Climate scientists
My weathercasters
State climatologists
NOAA
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Source: Maibach et al (2010) A national survey of TV news directors about climate change:
Preliminary findings. Fairfax, VA: Center for Climate Change Communication.
Trust in Sources of Information about Climate Change:
Local TV Weathercasters
Political leaders
Religious leaders
News media
IPCC
Science journals
Trust
Climate scientists
Other weathercasters
State climatologists
NOAA
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Source: Maibach, E., Wilson, K & Witte, J. (2010) A National Survey of Television Meteorologists about Climate
Change: Preliminary Findings. George Mason University. Fairfax, VA: Center for Climate Change Communication.
Consider TV Weathercasters
Proximity  Familiarity
Familiarity  Liking
Liking  Trust
QED: Proximity  Trust
TV weathercasters are seen as being close,
familiar, likable and trusted. Moreover, we
listen to them with remarkable frequency.
How closely do you follow news
about each of the following?
80
70
60
50
Somewhat closely
40
Very closely
30
20
10
0
Local weather
National politics
Sports
Source: Yale & George Mason, 2009
Most Americans Rely on Local TV News for
Weather Reports
• The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone
survey finds that 54% of Americans watch local
TV news for most of their weather information,
while 19% tune in to cable TV. Twenty percent
(20%) rely on the Internet for most of their
weather news. Five percent (5%) listen to the
radio, and two percent (2%) get the bulk of their
weather news from newspapers.
The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on December 30, 2010. The margin of sampling
error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.
Assertion #1: Because of their trust and access,
TV weathercasters have an unrivaled opportunity
to educate the public about climate change
Assertion #2. Because TV weathercasters excel at
telling engaging simple stories about complex
phenomenon, they can help viewers understand the
abstraction of climate change in a concrete and
personally experienced manner.
Assertion #3. There are large numbers of
weathercasters across America who welcome the
opportunity to educate their viewers about climate
change, but they will require some assistance
Survey of TV Weathercasters: Are you
interested in reporting on climate change?
Interest
34%
66%
Yes
No
Source: Maibach, E., Wilson, K & Witte, J. (2010) A National Survey of Television Meteorologists about Climate
Change: Preliminary Findings. George Mason University. Fairfax, VA: Center for Climate Change Communication
How helpful would the following be in increasing
your ability to report on climate change?
Very helpful
80
70
60
50
40
30
Very helpful
20
10
0
Access to HQ
graphics
Access to
experts for
interviews
Access to PPTs
Access to
journals
Source: Maibach, E., Wilson, K & Witte, J. (2010) A National Survey of Television Meteorologists about Climate
Change: Preliminary Findings. George Mason University. Fairfax, VA: Center for Climate Change Communication
NSF grant (DRL-0917566):
Enabling TV meteorologists to provide viewers
with climate change-related science education
1. In-depth interviews with “early adopters”
(n=17)
2. National survey of TV weathercasters (and
news directors)
3. Pilot-test of broadcast-ready climate change
educational materials at WLTX, Columbia, SC
WLTX, Columbia, SC
Jim Gandy, Senior Meteorologist, WLTX, Columbia, SC
http://www.wltx.com/weather/climate/default.aspx
Climate Change Education Partnership (CCEP)
Program, Phase I (CCEP-I)
Program Solicitation
NSF 10-542
• National Science Foundation
Directorate for Education &
Human Resources
Directorate for Geosciences
Directorate for Biological
Sciences
Office of Polar Programs
NSF grant (DUE-1043235):
Making the Global Local – Unusual Weather Events as
Climate Change Educational Opportunities
1. Create resources to help interested weathercasters cover
climate change
2. Develop educational resources for weathercasters who are
unconvinced
3. Increase dialogue (and reduce conflict) between convinced
and unconvinced weathercasters & climate scientists
4. Enhance access to relevant citizen science programs
5. Improve the climate change content in meteorology training
programs (undergrad and grad)
All 4C reports can be downloaded at:
climatechange.gmu.edu