OLD Media Moves

Reuters climate coverage continues to decline

February 26, 2014

Posted by Chris Roush

Reuters’ coverage of climate change issues has continued to decline, according to a report from Denise Robbins of Media Matters for America.

Robbins writes, “Former Reporter: “Skeptic” Editor Ingrassia Created A ‘Climate Of Fear’ In The Newsroom. In July 2013, former Reuters Asia climate change correspondent David Fogarty revealed that when Paul Ingrassia —  a self-identified ‘climate change sceptic’ — took over as deputy editor-in-chief, a”climate of fear” surrounding climate change coverage followed….

Since Ingrassia’s Promotion To Managing Editor, Reuters’ Climate Coverage Has Decreased Further. Media Matters analysis released on July 23, 2013, supported Fogarty’s suspicions, finding that Reuters reported on climate change almost twice as much before Ingrassia became deputy editor-in-chief. Since Ingrassia became managing editor in February 2013, Reuters’ climate coverage has only worsened according to an analysis of the six-month period following our initial study. From July 24, 2013, to January 24, 2014, Reuters published 221 articles and 103 mentions about climate change, for a total of 324 stories. This is an 8 percent drop from 353 stories during an equivalent time period under the ‘skeptic’ editor’s regime (which saw 353 total stories), and a more than 50 percent decrease from an equivalent time period before Ingrassia took over (675 total stories).

“Just under half of Reuters’ coverage (44 percent) was focused on policy — a decrease from our previous study (63 percent) — and coverage focused on science increased slightly from 12 percent to 14 percent. The articles quoted primarily politicians and government officials (45 percent of the time) — similar to the previous study (41 percent) — but their usage of scientists increased slightly to 19 percent of the time from 12 percent. [Media Matters7/23/13] [University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2/4/13]”

Read more here.

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