Is Climate Change Coverage Evolving in Big Media?

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by Rona Fried One of the biggest barriers to addressing climate change is "spin" – how the news media does or doesn’t cover it and how PR firms promote industry messages. While we can observe media coverage, the role of public relations (PR) is much less visible. In a survey of the world’s 25 largest PR firms conducted by The Guardian and Climate Investigations Center, the 10 that responded say they don’t take on clients that want to promote climate change-denial or block regulations that would bring emissions down. It’s a strong position to take considering that disseminating misinformation regarding climate change and the role of fossil fuels has become a multi-billion dollar industry. "We would not support a campaign that denies the existence and the threat posed by climate change, or efforts to obstruct regulations cutting greenhouse gas emissions and/or renewable energy standards," says Michelle Selesky of Weber Shandwick. "We ensure that our own work complies with local laws, marketing codes and our own code of business conduct. These prevent advertising that is intended to mislead and the denial of climate change would fall into this category," says UK-based WPP, the world’s largest advertising firm, which owns Burson Marsteller […]

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