ABC News relegated climate change to a brief, last-minute question during the September 10 presidential debate — even as millions of Americans faced a stark backdrop of climate-driven disasters.  The consequences of this choice to downplay the climate crisis extended beyond the debate itself — major cable news networks completely ignored the issue in more than 31 hours of combined post-debate coverage.  This omission highlights a systemic issue in news media: The frequent deprioritization of climate change despite the urgent and pervasive harm global warming is causing to communities across the country. In fact, 99% of Americans experienced at least one alert for extreme heat, wildfires, storms, or flooding this summer. As climate-related events continue to reshape America, this lack of substantive coverage from influential news sources raises significant concerns about public awareness of this critical issue in the context of the 2024 election.
  • Andy@slrpnk.net
    10·
    2 months ago

    Well, there is a cycle:

    • Media doesn’t cover climate change
    • Groups like Xtinction Rebellion hold a disruptive demonstration
    • Media complains that it’s irrational and actually pushes people away from the climate movement
    • A small backlash of commentators point out that they’re drawing needed attention to the issue
    • Public discusses climate change until media loses interest

    … and the cycle repeats.

    I hope that some climate protesters do something flashy and disruptive as soon as possible.

    • silence7@slrpnk.netOPM
      7·
      2 months ago

      What I think actually got it into the 2020 election news coverage was that people figured out when and where high-dollar fundraisers would be, and showed up outside them to ask the candidates about climate as they entered or exited.

    • enkers
      7·
      2 months ago

      But that can of soup did irreperable harm to the sheet of glass protecting the painting. Wahh.

      And the corn flour did irreperable harm to the lichen on the stones, but climate change certainly won’t. Wahh.

      Their arguments are always just knee jerk grasping at straws.