Television Weathercasting Research Articles

Impact of the Climate Matters Program on Public Understanding of Climate Change

AbstractClimate Matters is a localized climate change reporting resources program developed to support television (TV) weathercasters across the United States. Developed as a pilot test in one media market in 2010, it launched nationwide in 2013; in the autumn of 2019 more than 797 weathercasters were participating in the program. In this paper we present evidence of the impact of the Climate Matters program on Americans’ science-based understanding of climate change. We analyzed three sets of data in a multilevel model: 20 nationally representative surveys of American adults conducted biannually since 2010 (n = 23 635), data on when and how frequently Climate Matters stories were aired in each U.S. media market, and data describing the demographic, economic, and climatic conditions in each media market. We hypothesized that 1) reporting about climate change by TV weathercasters will increase science-based public understanding of climate change and 2) this effect will be stronger for people who pay more attention to local weather forecasts. Our results partially support the first hypothesis: controlling for market-level factors (population size, temperature, political ideology, and economic prosperity) and individual-level factors (age, education, income, gender, and political ideology), there is a significant positive association between the amount of Climate Matters reporting and some key indicators of science-based understanding (including that climate change is occurring, is primarily human caused, and causes harm). However, there was no evidence for the second hypothesis. These findings suggest that climate reporting by TV weathercasters, as enabled by the Climate Matters program, may be increasing the climate literacy of the American people.

Attributes of Weathercasters Who Engage in Climate Change Education Outreach

Abstract This research explores the role of weathercasters as local climate change educators and identifies attributes of those who present climate science to their viewers. In 2015, the authors attempted to survey all television weathercasters currently working in the United States (n = 2128); 478 participated, yielding a 22.5% participation rate. Using logistic regression to identify attributes of weathercasters who report on climate change on-air, it was found that the strongest predictors were participation in Climate Matters (a climate change reporting resource program) (β = 1.01, p < 0.001), personal interest in reporting on climate change (β = 0.93, p < 0.001), age (higher rates of reporting among older weathercasters) (β = 0.301, p < 0.05), and number of climate reporting interests (β = 1.37, p < 0.05). Linear regression was used to identify attributes of weathercasters who showed the most interest in climate change reporting. Weathercasters most interested in reporting about climate change on-air were more certain that climate change is happening (β = 0.344, p < 0.001), were convinced climate change is human caused (β = 0.226, p < 0.001), were older (β = 0.157, p < 0.001), and found the Third National Climate Assessment to be useful (β = 0.134, p < 0.05). Weathercasters who are personally motivated to seek and share broad scientific information, acting as “station scientists,” appear to be those who are also proactive in sharing climate change information. Assisting motivated weathercasters with programs that reduce barriers to climate change education outreach complements their abilities to educate the public regarding climate change science.

If They Like You, They Learn from You: How a Brief Weathercaster-Delivered Climate Education Segment Is Moderated by Viewer Evaluations of the Weathercaster

Abstract Local television (TV) weathercasters are a potentially promising source of climate education, in that weather is the primary reason viewers watch local TV news, large segments of the public trust TV weathercasters as a source of information about global warming, and extreme weather events are increasingly common (Leiserowitz et al.; U.S. Global Change Research Program). In an online experiment conducted in two South Carolina cities (Greenville, n = 394; Columbia, n = 352) during and immediately after a summer heat wave, the effects on global warming risk perceptions were examined following exposure to a TV weathercast in which a weathercaster explained the heat wave as a local manifestation of global warming versus exposure to a 72-h forecast of extreme heat. No main effect of the global warming video on learning was found. However, a significant interaction effect was found: subjects who evaluated the TV weathercaster more positively were positively influenced by the global warming video, and viewers who evaluated the weathercaster less positively were negatively influenced by the video. This effect was strongest among politically conservative viewers. These results suggest that weathercaster-delivered climate change education can have positive, albeit nuanced, effects on TV-viewing audiences.

Climate Science and the Broadcast Meteorologist

in final form 11 may 2012 ©2012 american meteorological Society n eed for A WeAtherCAsters’ Workshop on ClimAte sCienCe. Despite the many and varied platforms from which individuals currently get weather information, local television weathercasters remain a trusted source because of their familiarity and proximity to viewers. A recent national survey found that 54% of Americans watch local television news for most of their weather information (Rasmussen Reports 2011). In addition, television weathercasters are increasingly viewed as station scientists, called on to provide information to their viewers on a wide variety of sciencerelated issues, including climate science and climate change (American Meteorological Society 2010). However, a significant percentage of television weathercasters hold views inconsistent with the scientific consensus about climate change (Wilson 2002, 2008, 2009). For example, 41% of American Meteorological Society (AMS) weathercasters surveyed indicated that their main obstacle to reporting on the topic was “too much uncertainty” in climate science (Wilson 2009, p. 1457), while 29% agreed with the statement (made by a well-known television weathercaster) that “global warming is a scam.” In addition, the unauthorized release of e-mails between climate scientists and the news coverage that followed (collectively known as “Climategate”) further eroded television weathercasters’ confidence in climate change science (Maibach et al. 2011). In short, when compared to the general population of atmospheric science professionals, television weathercasters are disproportionately wary of climate science and anthropogenic climate change. With this landscape in mind, the Department of Meteorology at The Pennsylvania State University hosted a workshop for broadcast meteorologists entitled “Understanding the Science of Climate Change.” The stated goal was to empower weathercasters by enhancing their ability to deliver climate science to their audiences while also building lines of communication between broadcasters and climate scientists. Weathercasters from 31 television stations were invited, representing all television markets in Pennsylvania as well as Youngstown and Steubenville, Ohio, and Elmira and Binghamton, New York.

Opportunities and Obstacles for Television Weathercasters to Report on Climate Change

Opportunities and Obstacles for Television Weathercasters to Report on Climate Change

Television weathercasters as potentially prominent science communicators

An important, but mostly overlooked aspect of science communication is the potential role US television weathercasters may perform. In some cases, these specialists may be the only source of scientific information that some people encounter on a regular basis. Audience research indicates that the weathercast is the most-watched part of the local newscast and the primary reason people choose a local television news product. But very little is known about the qualifications of weathercasters as a group and their inclinations as individuals to educate viewers about scientific topics. This study begins with results from the largest survey ever conducted about television weathercasters. Most of them say their broadcasts are appropriate venues for teaching their audiences about science, and most of them are already doing so. Other results provide a baseline foundation on a variety of other work-related factors, including the consistent public service function for most television weathercasters that includes science communication in their communities. Finally, the study discusses the increasing number of initiatives recently being developed to formalize this potentially powerful role of television weathercasters as prominent science communicators.

Forecasting the Future

The topic of climate change has recently resurfaced on many news agendas, but increasingly, the scientific and political issues mix. Previous research has noted that even though the public relies primarily on television news as a source of climate change information, broadcasting has few environment and/or science reporters to cover the topic. This study considers another potential source—television weathercasters. This research measures weathercasters' acquired climate change knowledge against the scientific consensus and analyzes differences in their knowledge on the basis of several factors that may influence their climate change reporting. The results show that television weathercasters with the most accurate climate change knowledge scored highest in the affective domain—that is, the attitudes and values they hold about this scientific concept influenced their cognitive understanding of the topic more than any other independent variable. Put more simply the “politics” of what some consider a controversial scientific topic had the greatest bearing on weathercasters'scientific knowledge.

Seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

Seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

Seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

Seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

Seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

Seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

Seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

Seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

Seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

Seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

Seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

Seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

Seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting

seal of approval program for radio and television weathercasting