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Only 5% of US TV news segments on the record-shattering heat wave mentioned climate change (www.mediamatters.org)

submitted 2 years ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Throughout the recent record-breaking and deadly heat wave that affected millions across Texas and other parts of the Southwest, major TV networks largely failed to report on the links between climate change and the extreme heat. Over a two-week period from June 15-29, an analysis by Media Matters found: Only 5% of the 310 segments and weathercasts about the heat wave across national TV news mentioned climate change. Major cable news networks – CNN, Fox News Channel, and MSNBC – aired 187 segments or weathercasts about the heat wave, but only 8 mentioned climate change. MSNBC mentioned the connection between the extreme heat and climate change 5 times and CNN mentioned it 3. Corporate broadcast networks – ABC, CBS, and NBC – aired a combined 123 segments or weathercasts that discussed the heat wave, but only 7 mentioned climate change. ABC led the way with 5 mentions, while CBS and NBC each mentioned the connection between extreme heat and climate change once.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago (5 children)

Maybe there isn't any specific data definitively linking a hot spell with climate change?

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (3 children)

Aren’t these hot spells becoming increasingly common?

Climate change = significantly hotter average summers and/or significantly colder winters.

That’s why the mainstream changed from global warming to climate change. When it was global warming, everyone assumed the entire world would get increasingly hotter but that’s not necessarily true. The world on average would get significantly more hot but there will be areas that have crazy winters when they used to have no/mild winters before.

Edit: it’s hard to pinpoint one specific data point and say “this is why this is happening.” Especially globally. But we can look at the average temperature across the globe and compare historical records to show something is changing.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 years ago (2 children)

The earth has gone through many warming/cooling changes throughout its history (we know this from examining core samples from polar ice and rocks from across the globe). We only have approximately 140 years of specific temperature data for a planet that is 4.5 billion years old. It's premature to be Chicken Little yet.

[–] Canuck1701 1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Are you aware how long it takes to go through those warming and cooling cycles though? Human activity is clearly the cause of this current warming.

Here's a nice visual representation. Please don't eat the crayons. https://xkcd.com/1732/

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