Examining the balance of Climate Change coverage in Alternative Media

Posted by Trevor Evans

An issue of concern to many people who are worried about global warming is the equal balance mainstream media tends to give to both sides of the issue. After all, the polar ice caps are melting, and we're all screwed, right? There shouldn't be any skeptics pushing propaganda funded by the oil industry on TV. Sarcasm, of course, but a big topic of conversation in class this week was the balanced coverage shown in the mainstream media regarding climate change. This usually isn't a problem, but the thing is that when equal sides are presented in a news story on the topic, it isn't what it looks like. As the Boykoff and Boykoff article stated, "Superficial balance, telling both sides of the story, can actually lead to informational bias." Basically, the article argues that the media is giving too much space to climate change skeptics who have hidden agendas and biased information.

One would think that the alternative media, with it's often sarcastic leftist nature, would slam skeptics and only be concerned with reporting the facts on global warming. This isn't the case, though. Last year, the Huffington Post actually ran an open letter from an active conservative global warming skeptic named Harold Ambler, titled "Mr. Gore: Apology Accepted."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/harold-ambler/mr-gore-apology-accepted_b_154982.html

Ambler aggressively attacks Al Gore and the views presented in the film "An Inconvenient Truth," saying climate change "is the biggest whopper ever sold to the public in the history of mankind." He then goes on a typical right-wing rampage attempting to invoke some sense of forced rage out of the reader. Ambler's letter doesn't say anything new, and it is rather pretentious and arrogant, but the point here is that conservative viewpoints should be at least heard in alternative media as well. Alternative media should also try to achieve a sense of balance. The scientists and politicians who fight global warming are wrong, in my opinion. But their voice still counts, and therefore should be heard.

Alternative media seems to be striking the right balance between stories that highlight progressive scientific viewpoints, and skepticism. Let's face it, people who are denying climate change are a minority, albeit a very vocal one. The blogs seem to post a good ratio of stories that speak to the correct proportion of both sides. Here's another story from an alternative media source showing another side to the climate change story, a more humorous and liberal one. The title is "Let's call setting a price on carbon "puppies" and call clean energy standards "kittens" just so pro pollution ideologues have to attack cute animals."

There are many stories in alternative media that cater to both sides of this debate. Keep your eyes on your favorite blogs and remember to keep your eyes open. A lot of good info is coming from both sides, let's be sure to realize that both side can make favorable points.

Trevor Evans