The media watchdog, Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has recently found that News from Sky Outsiders, a news program aired on Sky News Australia, breached the industry code of conduct for climate scientific accuracy. The finding came after the program aired an episode that misrepresented climate science and promoted misleading claims about the causes and effects of climate change.
Sky News Australia is a subsidiary of the UK-based Sky News, which has a global audience of millions. In recent years, the channel has come under fire for its coverage of climate change, with some accusing it of promoting climate denialism and misleading viewers about the severity and urgency of the issue.
The specific episode in question, which aired in August 2019, featured an interview with Marc Morano, a prominent climate change skeptic and the author of the book “The Politically Incorrect Guide to Climate Change.” During the interview, Morano made several claims that have been widely debunked by climate scientists, including that carbon dioxide is not a pollutant and that global warming has paused or slowed down in recent years.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found that the program breached clause 4.3.1 of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice, which requires that news and current affairs programs present factual and accurate information. The authority found that the program did not provide sufficient context or balance to the claims made by Morano and that it failed to adequately convey the overwhelming scientific consensus that human activity is the primary cause of climate change.
The finding has been welcomed by environmental groups and climate scientists, who have long been concerned about the impact of media coverage on public understanding of climate change. Studies have shown that media coverage can have a significant influence on public opinion and policy and that inaccurate or misleading coverage can undermine efforts to address the issue.
In response to the finding, Sky News Australia defended the program and criticized the ACMA’s decision. The channel’s CEO, Paul Whittaker, said that the ruling was “disappointing” and that the program had presented a range of views on the issue of climate change.
However, critics have pointed out that presenting a range of views is not the same as presenting accurate information. The scientific consensus on climate change is clear and unequivocal: human activity, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, is causing the planet to warm at an unprecedented rate, with serious consequences for ecosystems, human health, and the global economy.
Moreover, the ACMA’s ruling reflects a growing awareness among regulators and policymakers of the need to ensure that media coverage of climate change is accurate and reliable. In recent years, a number of countries, including Canada, France, and the UK, have introduced guidelines or regulations aimed at promoting accurate and balanced coverage of climate science.
The ACMA’s finding also highlights the role of media watchdogs in promoting responsible journalism and holding media organizations accountable for their content. As the internet and social media have enabled the spread of misinformation and disinformation on a global scale, the need for independent oversight of media content has become increasingly urgent.
The case of News from Sky Outsiders serves as a cautionary tale for media organizations that prioritize ratings or political agendas over factual accuracy and responsible journalism. The ACMA’s ruling sends a clear message that media organizations have a responsibility to report on climate change accurately and responsibly and that those who fail to do so will be held accountable.
