Drilled The Media As a Tool of Climate Obstruction
Oct 3, 2025
Max Boykoff, an environmental studies professor at the University of Colorado, and Melissa Aronczyk, a communications expert at Rutgers University, delve into how media and PR shape climate narratives. Boykoff discusses bias in balanced reporting, while Aronczyk reveals the PR ecosystem influencing public perception. They highlight the impact of corporate media ownership on climate skepticism and the role of social media in amplifying disinformation. The conversation underscores the urgency of addressing these issues to foster better climate action.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Balanced Reporting Skewed Public Understanding
- Journalistic norms like 'balanced reporting' created informational bias by giving denialist voices equal weight despite scientific consensus.
- Media coverage therefore skewed public understanding of climate science for decades until gradual improvements emerged.
Editor Removed Climate Link From Wildfire Quote
- Amy Westervelt recounted a wildfire interview where a fire chief tied longer-burning fires to climate change and the editor nearly removed that attribution.
- The story shows how newsroom instincts can strip climate context from event reporting.
Obstruction Is An Ecosystem
- Climate obstruction operates through a broad network: PR firms, think tanks, trade groups, funders and legal teams.
- That ecosystem normalizes fossil-fuel-friendly narratives and limits visible alternatives to the status quo.
