Climate Change Survey Of Weathercasters

There is an interesting and quite informative survey of weathercasters that is published in the October 2009 issue of the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. It is by Kris Wilson and is titled

Opportunities and Obstacles for Television Weathercasters to Report on Climate Change

There are some remarkable findings including

“Almost two-thirds of this sample disagreed that “global climate models are reliable in their projections for a warming of the planet”

“Two-thirds of this sample also disagreed with the statement that “global climate models are reliable in their projections for local weather patterns”

and

“……this sample of AMS weathercasters repeatedly expressed their desire to have access to “independent,” “unbiased,” and “reputable” sources of data and information that present “both sides” of the issue.”

The full article with its survey results is worth reading.

I have also been informed of this new survey which is being distributed by the American Meteorological Society.

UPDATE: I have been e-mailed and informed that the two surveys are actually different surveys. The first one is open to all broadcast meteorologists, while the second were selected on known climate change work]

TV Meteorologists and News Directors Survey

“In early January, George Mason University will invite you to participate in a survey of TV meteorologists and news directors.  The research — which is funded by the National Science Foundation, and is being conducted in cooperation with AMS, NWA, and the Radio and Television Digital News Association — focuses on climate change beliefs and how climate change is addressed by TV meteorologists in their work.  Survey respondents will be given a $30 Amazon.com Gift Card to thank them for their participation.  This is an important opportunity to better understand how members of our professional community are responding to the issue of climate change. We urge you to participate in the survey.”

The invitation itself (from Dr. Katherine Rowan who is a  professor in the Communication Department at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia)  reads slightly differently and I have reproduced part of it below

“I write to invite you to participate in a research study.  This research is being conducted to understand how TV meteorologists educate their audiences about climate change.  If you agree to participate, we will schedule an in-person or telephone interview with you.  The interview will take approximately 60 minutes to complete.  After the interview, we will ask you to help us access examples of educational materials (or broadcasts) that you have used to educate audiences about climate change.  If you participate, you will be compensated $200 for your time in the form of a gift certificate from Amazon.

Because we would like to collect and share examples (on a website we will create) of your efforts to educate audiences about climate change, we are requesting that you participate as an identified participant.  We will ask your permission before posting anything you have said, or any educational material materials you have given us, on our website.  If you agree to the posting, we will credit you as the source by listing your full name and your current place of employment.

If you prefer, you may participate in this study on a confidential basis.  If you select that option, the data you contribute to this study will be kept confidential.  Your name and your contact information will be recorded only on the Informed Consent Form.  Your name will not appear with your answers to our questions, we will not use your name in our research, and we will not post any materials you give us on our website.

We appreciate your considering this invitation to be interviewed for this research.  There are no penalties for not participating.  If you do choose to participate, information you provide will be valuable our understanding of how climate change science is being communicated….”

I have no idea how objective this survey will be, but suspect it has been commissioned, at least in part, because the American Meteorological Society did not like the answers it received in the BAMS survey.