” surprised critics and viewers in January when anchor Chuck Todd devoted an entire hour to the topic. He called climate change “a literally Earth-changing subject that doesn’t get talked about this thoroughly, on television news at least,” and then announced the show wasn’t going to treat the subject as if it were a matter for debate. “The Earth is getting hotter. And human activity is a major cause, period. We’re not going to give time to climate deniers.
“We have been doing the stories,” he says. “The facts are there. You don’t need to add your editorial comment to it.” “We are seeing demographics shift. More and more people are becoming concerned and alarmed about climate change,” says Emma Frances Bloomfield, a professor at the University of Las Vegas who studies communication around scientific controversies. That in turn is spurring more discussion about the topic from politicians, she says, which then sparks wider coverage from news outlets.
Coverage of climate change also offers a chance to engage people who aren’t always the most rabid consumers of TV news: younger viewers. CBS News polling shows the rising generation is potentially more engaged around the issue than baby boomers and others, says CBS News’ Ortiz, who is overseeing coverage of the topic at the news division. “There is a real curiosity among younger people to explore what’s happening, why it is happening and what you can do about it,” he says.
don't worry - democrats will fix everything with new taxes!
Oh - are the ratings better for it now?