Climate Matters — Building a Climate Science Community for Broadcast Meteorologists

Climate Matters – Building a Climate Science Community for Broadcast Meteorologists

Bernadette Woods Placky, Sean Sublette, Climate Central; Amber Sullins, KNXV Phoenix

Now in its fifth year, Climate Central’s Climate Matters program continues to grow while helping broadcast meteorologists connect climate and weather with their audiences on air and online. The Climate Matters community now includes a broad cross section of professionals with differing levels of experience, represented by more than 375 meteorologists in 125 markets.

The rapidly evolving communications industry presents challenges and opportunities in communicating on climate change, especially for those professionals who have recently entered the broadcast meteorology industry. A recent Yale Program on Climate Change Communication/George Mason University survey found that 70 percent of Americans are convinced global warming is happening, and 66 percent want to learn more about it. With the public looking for answers, Climate Matters gives the broadcast meteorologist an opportunity to increase his/her value to the station by answering important questions for the viewing audience.

We propose a 30-minute discussion that will include both a representative from Climate Central and a veteran Climate Matters meteorologist, Amber Sullins from KNXV in Phoenix. We will highlight new resources for broadcast meteorologists from the Climate Matters program, discuss best practices incorporating climate change in the role of a TV meteorologist, and showcase Amber’s experience successfully communicating about climate change locally in Phoenix -- complete with video examples.