CBS News has been leaning on content from Climate Central, a nonprofit focused on climate change, notably utilizing material crafted by former network personnel. Recently, CBS reported collaborations with this organization, both in broadcast and online formats. Since 2021, they have cited research from Climate Central multiple times, but it was only around July that they began to more frequently refer to “Climate Central partners.”
Last month, CBS aired a segment on glacier melting, which received credit at the bottom for being created by Climate Central’s Chris Spinder, while Ben Tracy served as the correspondent. They have also featured other articles, leading to similar credits denoting the partnership with Climate Central.
As it stands, neither Tracy nor Spinder are CBS employees any longer; both now work with Climate Central. According to social media, Tracy identifies himself as a “climate journalist,” emphasizing his ongoing commitment to climate-related storytelling.
Climate Central promotes its “Partnership Journalism” program, designed to assist various outlets with data and science reporting. They provide guidance, helping local media craft contextually rich narratives on climate-related topics. The organization gives credit to collaborating partners by sharing bylines when necessary and promotes their objective of journalistic integrity without any advertisement intent.
Tracy exited CBS in late 2024, while longtime producer Spinder joined Climate Central shortly after. Spinder’s work now encompasses producing feature news stories focusing on climate issues, distributed to numerous stations nationwide. Climate Central’s vice president pointed out that the organization aims for collaborations with various news outlets.
Interestingly, CBS has recently modified its language around these partnerships after inquiries from the media. The introductory reference to the collaborations has been removed from the articles, suggesting a shift in how they present this information.
Ultimately, Climate Central maintains a neutral stance, striving to address inequalities exacerbated by climate change, especially among vulnerable communities. Their commitment goes beyond just reporting; they aim to engage with the real-world implications of climate impacts on marginalized populations.
