In the days following Hurricane Helene—one of the deadliest storms to hit the US -- only three percent of all national TV news segments about the storm mentioned climate change, according to watchdog group Media Matters. Despite this lack of coverage, the science is clear that this and other disasters are far more catastrophic because of a warming climate.
Almost half of Americans get their news from television, yet major news outlets fail to name the connection between extreme weather events and climate change.
Corporate broadcast networks coverage of the climate crisis actually declined by 25 percent between 2023 and 2024, despite an increase in storms, fires, floods, and heatwaves. Responsible journalism must tell the truth about what's driving unnatural disasters.
Big Oil has known for decades that fossil fuels threaten our future, while doing everything they can to keep raking in their profits. They've pushed news outlets to keep the climate crisis out of the media, and squash coverage of their responsibility for it. Now, they've bought an ally in the Trump administration, as it pressures the media and other institutions to fall in line.
TV news needs to cover the facts, not corporate propaganda. Will you ask media CEOs to ensure their coverage of storms, heat waves, and other unnatural disasters connects the dots to human-caused climate change?
Personal messages make a big difference! Add a sentence or two about your experience of climate impacts to make your letter more powerful.
