Exploring Weathercasters' Methods for Sharing Climate Change and For the First Time: How TV News Directors Envision the Station-Scientist Role

As part of on-going research into the roles that TV weathercasters play as informal science educators about climate change, findings from two new studies from an NSF project will be shared. The first study identifies “pioneers” and their explanatory methods for sharing climate science and recommends strategies for other interested weathercasters to employ. The second study presents new data from a nationwide survey of more than 600 TV weathercasters and their news directors to further explore opportunities and obstacles to report on climate change. Note: Scholars contributing to the project but not appearing at the conference include: Edward Maibach, Katherine Rowan, James Witte, Xiaoquon Zhao, Paula Baldwin, Bianca Brown, and Jagadish Thacker, George Mason University.