Today, I want to share a conversation with Josh Wheeler, founder of Be Broadcast, about the state of UK broadcast media and, notably, how it covers certain topics. The conversation follows a report written by Be Broadcast that outlines how TV and radio stations in the UK approach their reporting on climate change [linked below].
It was a 6-month analysis examining media coverage for events such as the Spanish floods, the Californian wildfire, and the US withdrawal from the Paris agreement. Specifically, I wanted to look at how the media presents its messaging versus how the public sentiment reacts to it.
I was quite amazed at the use of language. The report found that 55% of all UK media coverage regarding climate change is ‘alarmist’ and uses extreme expressions such as ‘ticking time bomb’, evoking a sense of catastrophe among its viewers.
Should UK media be conveying any form of emotional messaging in its reporting, and what does that do to its credibility? We discuss it all.
Those who follow this channel know that I sometimes talk about Israel and I sometimes talk about the United States, but I very rarely talk about my hometown, the UK. Since I studied Broadcast Journalism as my first degree over there, I thought this was the perfect topic to dive into.
Click below to see the entire report: Be Broadcast Mission Control: The Climate Conversation »
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