'Meet The Press' Shows Us Exactly How Not To Cover Climate Change

[Auggie]

Huffington Post / 2-15-14

First, some context: TV news shows almost never cover climate change, which ought to be one of the most aggressively-reported issues around, given that, y'know, it's a dire threat to the planet and everyone on it. A recent study from Media Matters found that the Sunday shows on NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox spent a combined 27 minutes on the topic in the whole of 2013. Meet the Press was singled out as "failing to offer a single substantial mention of climate change" for the entire year.

So, when "MTP" does finally decide that the issue merits its consideration, what does it do? It sets up a "debate" about the issue between Bill Nye—who, despite the great things he has done to popularize science, is not a climate scientist—and Blackburn, who has previously tweeted about how proud she is to deny that global warming exists.

The existence of climate change is no longer an issue up for discussion, and hasn't been for decades. The most recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said there was a 95 percent chance that humans are responsible for global warming.

The only debate left is what to do about climate change, not whether it exists. And, if the Sunday shows do insist on carrying out that tired conflict, they should at least put the debate in the hands of climate scientists, rather than media figures or politicians. "Meet the Press" is providing a perfect example of what not to do.

MORE: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/15/meet-the-press-climate-change_n_4794206.html

[rock]

1. I would prefer Bill Nye and

Rush Limbaugh channeling Sylvia Brown so the debate could have some substance. (yes, sarcasm)

[TreasonousBastard]

2. Maybe they should, but...

it won't help if no one watches the show.

I don't know why Bill Nye is America's best known science guy, but to the non-scientific audience he is as credible as it gets. And he draws an audience.