CBS News’ Climate Change Partnership Raises Questions
The distinction between advocacy in network news and unbiased journalism has come under scrutiny, particularly with CBS News’ collaboration with climate change organizations.
The network has openly acknowledged its partnership with Climate Central, a nonprofit that claims to be “policy neutral.” Yet, it appears to promote alarming narratives about impending disasters linked to environmental issues.
According to reports, CBS News has referenced Climate Central Research many times since 2021, but it wasn’t until July that the term “Climate Central partners” started appearing consistently in their coverage.
Recently, CBS News aired a segment on a glacier’s melting, featuring Ben Tracy as the correspondent. Interestingly, the article indicated that it was created by Chris Spinder from Climate Central, with editing attributed to Chris Jolly.
This raises some confusion. Tracy and Spinder are affiliated with Climate Central, not directly with CBS News. It turns out, per LinkedIn, Jolly is the only actual CBS employee involved.
Climate Central actively promotes its “Partnership Journalism” initiative, offering guidance to media on climate-related stories and how to present cooperative features.
But CBS isn’t the only outlet involved. Climate Central’s website outlines that partner organizations can produce local reports, including field work, photography, and editing services. They also supply data and insights to help contextualize climate change accurately.
Over nearly 20 years, Climate Central has disseminated a variety of climate-related content, reaching local audiences on a daily basis. The organization claims to have been involved in over 50,000 mentions worldwide.
It’s worth noting that mainstream media trends often don’t happen randomly; organizations like Climate Central play a significant role in shaping narratives. For instance, they launched a campaign in 2010 aimed at integrating climate discussions into television weather reporting.
Furthermore, they have prioritized connecting extreme weather events to climate change and addressing misinformation since 2015. Their Partnership Journalism Program began in 2019 to encourage cooperative efforts with local newsrooms.
On their website, Climate Central emphasizes the urgency of the “climate emergency,” warning that it could drastically alter life as we know it. While they describe themselves as a “non-advocacy organization,” some of their statements adopt language often associated with more left-leaning views, suggesting that climate change exacerbates existing inequalities.
According to their materials, marginalized communities, including people of color, are especially vulnerable to climate impacts.
Fox Digital reached out to Shari Bell, Climate Central’s vice president of content creation, who confirmed that they collaborate with various news organizations. However, she did not clarify how CBS News is involved in the editing process.
