Viewer engagement with broadcast meteorologists on climate science

Broadcast meteorologists are trusted public communicators, whose viewers rely on them to learn not just why weather events are happening, but what the public can expect in the future. As greenhouse pollution alters meteorological cycles and influences weather patterns, viewers rely on meteorologists, as station scientists, to communicate scientific understanding of climate change.

Forecast the Facts is an online membership organization dedicated to ensuring that Americans receive accurate information about climate change. Through member tabling at AMS conferences, e-mails and calls to meteorologists and their stations, and personal meetings between members and meteorologists and station producers, Forecast the Facts learned that meteorologists have various motivations and challenges that limit communicating science-backed information to the viewing public.

Our hypothesis is that organized viewer engagement can directly influence the ability of weathercasters to present scientifically grounded information in the course of their professional duties. We will present on the response to our campaign amongst weathercasters, particularly in the wake of major meteorological events such as Superstorm Sandy.