We already know that the broadcast media devotes very little time to climate change—and that, when it does, it often botches things. A new study shows another way in which the big three broadcast networks are getting it wrong when it comes to the fate of the planet.
Specifically, the University of Michigan study said, what's lacking in climate change coverage is any idea of what could be done to curb it:
Major networks—ABC, CBS and NBC—show the impact or actions taken in climate change stories, but rarely combine the components in the same broadcast to give viewers better coverage, the study shows.
"When information about the threat that climate change poses is not paired with solutions on what can be done in response, individuals may ignore climate messages and be less likely to engage in political action on the issue," said Sol Hart, U-M assistant professor in the Department of Communication Studies and the Program in the Environment.
The study, which looked at coverage from 2005-2011, found that such solutions were discussed in concert with the impact of climate change just 23 percent of the time—and most of that coverage focused on political back-and-forth over whether solutions should even be attempted.
Read more about the study here.