Cooper | Media Matters For America
2024 was another year of unprecedented or significant climate impacts, including 27 billion-dollar weather disasters, the second-highest number of billion-dollar weather disasters on record in the U.S. And the Inflation Reduction Act, which passed in 2022 and allocated a historic $369 billion in climate and energy provisions, continued to help transform the clean energy landscape.
Despite these sweeping investments and the growing urgency of the climate crisis, a Media Matters analysis found that corporate broadcast networks aired 12 hours and 51 minutes of climate coverage in 2024 — a 25 percent decline in volume of coverage from 2023.
This reduction in climate coverage from ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox Broadcast Co. (for its Sunday morning political show only) occurred amid significant political events, economic shifts, and global conflicts, which may have diverted attention from climate issues, despite their escalating severity.
Key Findings
The volume of climate change coverage on corporate broadcast morning and nightly news programs, as well as Sunday morning political shows, decreased 25 percent from 2023 to 2024, from 17 hours and 12 minutes (1,032 minutes) to 12 hours and 51 minutes (771 minutes) across 324 segments.
Only 9 percent of climate segments on corporate broadcast news – 28 out of 324 segments – mentioned “fossil fuels.” This is a decrease from 2023, when “fossil fuels” were mentioned in 12% of climate segments.
For the fourth consecutive year, CBS led network climate coverage, accounting for 50 percent of total broadcast time, airing 381 minutes across 129 segments. Despite ranking third in broadcast minutes with 184, ABC aired the second-highest number of segments (103), while NBC aired 199 minutes across 88 segments.
On the nightly news programs specifically, the volume of coverage decreased by only 5 percent from 2023. In 2024, these programs aired 246 minutes across 115 segments. CBS led with 118 minutes across 48 segments, followed by NBC with 92 minutes across 42 segments, and ABC with 36 minutes across 25 segments.
PBS’ NewsHour aired 88 climate segments in 2024 compared to 122 segments aired in 2023. NewsHour, however, is not included in the full data set, as it is publicly funded and the format of the program is different from that of its corporate network counterparts.
Climate coverage on corporate broadcast morning news programs decreased by 27 percent compared to 2023.
For at least the eighth consecutive year, white men were the largest demographic of guests featured in climate segments. On morning news, nightly news, and Sunday morning political programs, 64 percent of guests — 190 out of 295 — were white men. Women remained underrepresented, making up 27 percent of guests. Only 7 percent of guests — 21 in total — were women of color.
In 2024, extreme weather events drove a significant portion of broadcast climate coverage, coming up in 31 percent of total segments (102 of 324). This represents a decrease from 2023, when extreme weather was discussed in 37 percent of segments (160 out of 435).
Coverage peaked during the months of June through September, a period marked by record-breaking temperatures and severe weather events. The networks aired 46 percent of their total climate segments during this period, with June leading with 50 segments.
Solutions or actions to address climate change were mentioned in 23 percent of segments (75 of 324), compared to 22% in 2023.
Coverage of climate justice and disproportionate climate impacts appeared in 3 percent of segments (11 of 324) in 2024, down from 5% in 2023.
The 25 percent decrease in corporate broadcast news coverage from 2023 to 2024 (1,032 minutes to 771) is striking, especially during a year marked by the second-highest number of billion-dollar weather disasters on record. The decline underscores the persistent challenges of maintaining consistent climate coverage amid competing news priorities, from political events to global conflicts.
2024 Climate Coverage Overview
For the fourth year, CBS led in volume of climate coverage with 381 minutes across 129 segments, an 11 percent decrease from 2023, the smallest decline among networks.
NBC aired 199 minutes of climate coverage across 88 segments, a 36 percent decrease from the 312 minutes aired in 2023. This was the largest decrease among the broadcast networks.
ABC aired 184 minutes of climate coverage, a 35 percent decrease from the 284 minutes aired in 2023. However, ABC produced 103 climate segments, nearly matching CBS' total number of climate stories. This reflects a consistent effort to incorporate climate coverage across news programming, despite shorter average segment lengths.
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EVLONDO COOPER is a senior writer with the climate and energy program at Media Matters.