CLIMATE CHANGE IN ENTERTAINMENT
The Media Impact Project was commissioned by Good Energy to study how often climate change content has appeared in recent scripted TV and film, along with audience appetites for stories about the climate crisis. We analyzed scripts from 37,453 TV episodes and films that aired in the US media market between 2016 and 2020, finding only 2.8% mentioned any of 36 climate-related keywords. FLIP THE SCRIPT: CAN HOLLYWOOD HELP US IMAGINE A FUTURE WITHOUT PLASTIC? Our research team examined 32 popular television shows from the 2019-2020 season in the first-ever analysis of the portrayal and prevalence of single-use plastics and reusable alternatives in popular scripted television shows. We found them awash in single-use plastics, with an average of 28 items per episode. The research was supported by the Plastic Pollution Coalition. DOES MEDIUM MATTER? PBS FRONTLINE joined forces with pioneering filmmaker Nonny de la Peña at Emblematic to create a virtual reality experience to bring attention to the issue of climate change. The Media Impact Project served as evaluators and developed a best practices guide for content creators. BEST PRACTICES FOR CLIMATE JOURNALISM With support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), MIP is identifying and studying best practices for achieving impact through science journalism, with the goal of informing future investments in this work. The project’s focus is on local climate change coverage through the Pulitzer Center’s HHMI-funded Connected Coastlines series. IMPACT RESEARCH For more than 20 years, we have conducted research on the impact of media and entertainment narratives on audiences’ knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. Have a climate or environmental storyline you want to study? Reach out to us. The Lear Center’s own Hollywood, Health & Society program also provides the entertainment industry with free, expert information and other resources on climate change. |
2022 Earth Week Celebration
Friday, April 22, 2022
Media Impact Project Research Director Erica Rosenthal shares our ongoing research activities at the annual USC Earth Week Celebration. You can watch the online presentation hosted by USC President Carol Folt and featuring a diverse group of sustainability champions from across the Trojan Family as they present the breadth of initiatives driving USC’s sustainability agenda. |
The Norman Lear Center's Media Impact Project researches how entertainment and news influence our thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, knowledge and actions. We work with researchers, the film and TV industry, nonprofits, and news organizations, and share our research with the public. We are part of the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
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