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TV Meteorologists as Climate Change Educators

TV Meteorologists as Climate Change Educators. Climate Science Workshop August 12, 2011 Penn State University. Edward Maibach, PhD. Trust in Sources of Information about Climate Change: General Public.

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TV Meteorologists as Climate Change Educators

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  1. TV Meteorologists as Climate Change Educators Climate Science Workshop August 12, 2011 Penn State University Edward Maibach, PhD

  2. Trust in Sources of Information about Climate Change: General Public Source: Leiserowitz, A., Maibach, E., & Roser-Renouf, C. (2010) Climate change in the American Mind: Americans’ global warming beliefs and attitudes in January 2010. Yale University and George Mason University. New Haven, CT: Yale Project on Climate Change.

  3. Trust in Sources of Information about Climate Change: Local TV News Directors Source: Maibach et al (2010) A national survey of TV news directors about climate change: Preliminary findings. Fairfax, VA: Center for Climate Change Communication.

  4. Trust in Sources of Information about Climate Change: Local TV Weathercasters Source: Maibach, E., Wilson, K & Witte, J. (2010) A National Survey of TelevisionMeteorologists about Climate Change: Preliminary Findings. George Mason University. Fairfax, VA: Center for Climate Change Communication.

  5. Consider TV WeathercastersProximity  Familiarity Familiarity  Liking Liking  TrustQED: Proximity  TrustTV weathercasters are seen as being close, familiar, likable and trusted. Moreover, we listen to them with remarkable frequency.

  6. How closely do you follow news about each of the following? Source: Yale & George Mason, 2009

  7. Most Americans Rely on Local TV News for Weather Reports • The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of Americans watch local TV news for most of their weather information, while 19% tune in to cable TV. Twenty percent (20%) rely on the Internet for most of their weather news. Five percent (5%) listen to the radio, and two percent (2%) get the bulk of their weather news from newspapers. The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on December 30, 2010. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. 

  8. Assertion #1: Because of their trust and access,TV weathercasters have an unrivaled opportunity to educate the public about climate change

  9. Assertion #2. Because TV weathercasters excel at telling engaging simple stories about complex phenomenon, they can help viewers understand the abstraction of climate change in a concrete and personally experienced manner.

  10. Assertion #3. There are large numbers of weathercasters across America who welcome the opportunity to educate their viewers about climate change, but they will require some assistance

  11. Survey of TV Weathercasters: Are you interested in reporting on climate change? 34% Source: Maibach, E., Wilson, K & Witte, J. (2010) A National Survey of Television Meteorologists about Climate Change: Preliminary Findings. George Mason University. Fairfax, VA: Center for Climate Change Communication

  12. How helpful would the following be in increasing your ability to report on climate change? Source: Maibach, E., Wilson, K & Witte, J. (2010) A National Survey of Television Meteorologists about Climate Change: Preliminary Findings. George Mason University. Fairfax, VA: Center for Climate Change Communication

  13. NSF grant (DRL-0917566): Enabling TV meteorologists to provide viewers with climate change-related science education • In-depth interviews with “early adopters” (n=17) • National survey of TV weathercasters (and news directors) • Pilot-test of broadcast-ready climate change educational materials at WLTX, Columbia, SC

  14. WLTX, Columbia, SC

  15. Jim Gandy, Senior Meteorologist, WLTX, Columbia, SC http://www.wltx.com/weather/climate/default.aspx

  16. Climate Change Education Partnership (CCEP) Program, Phase I (CCEP-I) Program SolicitationNSF 10-542 • National Science FoundationDirectorate for Education & Human ResourcesDirectorate for GeosciencesDirectorate for Biological SciencesOffice of Polar Programs

  17. NSF grant (DUE-1043235):Making the Global Local – Unusual Weather Events as Climate Change Educational Opportunities • Create resources to help interested weathercasters cover climate change • Develop educational resources for weathercasters who are unconvinced • Increase dialogue (and reduce conflict) between convinced and unconvinced weathercasters & climate scientists • Enhance access to relevant citizen science programs • Improve the climate change content in meteorology training programs (undergrad and grad)

  18. All 4C reports can be downloaded at: climatechange.gmu.edu

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