26 Feb 2026
TV analysis of around 25,000 hours of broadcasting shows: Climate change topics are mostly covered in news programs – target groups who watch entertainment programs are hardly reached.
Television remains one of the most important sources of information about climate change. A new study led by Prof. Dr. Imke Hoppe from the Department of Geography at LMU Munich shows that climate-related topics on TV primarily reach people who are already very interested in the subject, while population groups less interested in the issue are hardly addressed at all.
The results have been published in the current issue of the journal Nature Climate Change.
DOI: 10.1038/s41558-026-02575-3
One of the most comprehensive analyses of television coverage of climate change
The research team assessed approximately 25,000 hours of programming from 20 German television stations over a 61-day period in the fall of 2022. In addition, a representative population survey was conducted with approximately 1,400 participants.
Attention varies with events
The visibility of the topic on television strongly follows current events. There were significant fluctuations, for example, during extreme weather conditions, climate protests, or energy policy debates. Overall, climate change ranked fourth in the TV reporting agenda during the period under review, behind social issues, the war in Ukraine, and the economy.
Who is visible on television – and who is missing?
An automated image analysis of around 72,000 faces revealed significant imbalances:
According to the audience, however, the following groups are underrepresented:
Consequently, formats determine outreach
The study concludes that television generally has the potential to reach different social groups on climate change issues and to create a common agenda. However, this potential is currently only being partially exploited. New narrative forms, more diverse perspectives, and a stronger presence of the topic outside of traditional news formats are crucial.