Climate Change on Television Reaches the Engaged but Misses Distant Audiences
- Jul 23
- 3 min read
A new study finds television still shapes climate awareness—but mostly among engaged viewers, missing audiences least concerned about climate change.
Television remains one of the most influential sources of information worldwide, yet surprisingly little is known about how effectively it communicates climate change. While digital platforms increasingly dominate public discussion, television continues to reach broad audiences and has the unique ability to create shared experiences across society.
In a new study, researchers analysed more than 23,000 hours of television programming across 20 German channels alongside a nationally representative survey to understand not only how climate change is portrayed on television, but also who is actually watching it. Their findings reveal an important challenge: television succeeds in informing audiences already concerned about climate change but struggles to reach those who are more sceptical or disengaged.
Key Findings
Climate change occupies only a small share of television
Climate-related topics accounted for just 2.2% of total broadcast time during the study period. Although climate change ranked among the most prominent societal issues covered, it still received considerably less attention than social issues, the war in Ukraine and the economy. The authors note that climate coverage was highly event-driven, with peaks following climate protests, extreme weather and major political developments rather than remaining consistently visible.
Most climate coverage appears in news programmes
Nearly 80% of all climate-related content was found in informational formats such as news, documentaries and talk shows. Entertainment programming—including films, television series and reality shows—contained very little explicit discussion of climate change.
This creates an important imbalance. Audiences who regularly watch news are frequently exposed to climate issues, while viewers who primarily consume entertainment may rarely encounter them at all.
The people watching most television are often the least exposed to climate content
Perhaps the study's most striking finding is that climate-distant audiences actually spend more time watching television than highly engaged audiences. However, their viewing habits differ significantly.
People already concerned about climate change tend to consume news, where climate reporting is concentrated. In contrast, more sceptical or disengaged viewers prefer entertainment formats, meaning they are far less likely to encounter climate-related information despite watching more television overall. The researchers argue that this reinforces existing differences in awareness rather than narrowing them.
Beyond Coverage: The Importance of Representation
The study also examined who appears in climate-related television coverage. Automated analysis revealed that politicians dominate climate reporting, while scientists, older people and people with disabilities receive comparatively little visibility. Gender imbalance was also evident, with roughly two-thirds of people shown on screen being men.
Interestingly, survey participants expressed a desire for greater diversity in climate communication. Many believed politicians already receive too much attention and preferred to see more scientists and ordinary citizens represented in climate-related programming. According to the authors, broader representation could make climate stories feel more relatable and increase engagement across different sections of society.
Looking Ahead
The study suggests that the challenge facing climate communication is not simply producing more coverage, but ensuring it reaches audiences who are currently disconnected from the issue. Television continues to offer exceptional reach, yet concentrating climate discussions within news programmes limits their exposure to viewers who primarily seek entertainment.
As the authors conclude in Climate change on television reaches the engaged but misses distant audiences, expanding climate storytelling into entertainment formats and broadening the range of voices represented on screen may be essential if television is to fulfil its potential as a medium for inclusive climate communication.
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