CLIMATE DISINFORMATION GOES MAINSTREAM: TIME FOR STRONG MEDIA WATCHDOGS

This report by QuotaClimat examines how climate disinformation has moved from social media fringes into mainstream news outlets, particularly in France. It identifies structural vulnerabilities in the media industry—such as financial crises, the rise of 'infotainment', and a regulatory vacuum—that allow anti-science narratives to proliferate. The document argues that news media, despite their perceived credibility, often act as channels for disinformation through 'false balance' and selective framing. It concludes by advocating for a new legislative framework in France to mandate environmental coverage standards and strengthen the role of the regulator, Arcom.

• Climate disinformation is no longer limited to social media but has become entrenched in French mainstream media, including print, television, and radio.
• The 'illusory truth effect' causes repeated exposure to false information in the media to lead the public to believe it is true, regardless of its actual accuracy.
• Mainstream media often employ 'false balance,' giving disproportionate weight to climate skeptics to maintain an illusion of pluralism, which biases coverage and reduces public consensus on action.
• Financial pressures and the dominance of digital platforms like Google and Facebook have pushed news media toward 'infotainment' and sensationalism to maintain engagement, compromising ethical reporting standards.
• Environmental coverage in French audiovisual media has seen a significant decline, with a 30% drop in 2024, averaging only 3.7% of broadcasting time on major channels.
• Climate disinformation is often used by the fossil fuel industry to influence the allocation of public funds and divert investments away from renewable energy.
• Journalists face significant internal barriers to reporting on climate change; while over 81% are concerned about the issue, less than 6% have access to dedicated training.
• In France, the Council for Journalistic Ethics and Mediation (CDJM) is considered largely ineffective because it often ignores its own recommendations and treats scientific facts as mere opinions.
• QuotaClimat has proposed a draft bill in the French National Assembly to strengthen the mandate of the regulator, Arcom, to oversee environmental coverage and establish an Observatory for Ecological Crisis Media Coverage.

APA

Wemaere, L., Sauvignon, J., & Morel, E. (2024). CLIMATE DISINFORMATION GOES MAINSTREAM: TIME FOR STRONG MEDIA WATCHDOGS. QuotaClimat. https://quotaclimat.org/app/uploads/2025/02/climate-disinformation-time-for-strong-media-watchdogs-quotaclimat.pdf

Chicago

Wemaere, Louna, Jean Sauvignon, and Eva Morel. CLIMATE DISINFORMATION GOES MAINSTREAM: TIME FOR STRONG MEDIA WATCHDOGS. QuotaClimat, 2024. https://quotaclimat.org/app/uploads/2025/02/climate-disinformation-time-for-strong-media-watchdogs-quotaclimat.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Wemaere |first1=Louna |last2=Sauvignon |first2=Jean |last3=Morel |first3=Eva |title=CLIMATE DISINFORMATION GOES MAINSTREAM: TIME FOR STRONG MEDIA WATCHDOGS |publisher=QuotaClimat |date=2 December 2024 |url=https://quotaclimat.org/app/uploads/2025/02/climate-disinformation-time-for-strong-media-watchdogs-quotaclimat.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wemaere2024climate, author = {Wemaere, Louna and Sauvignon, Jean and Morel, Eva}, title = {{CLIMATE DISINFORMATION GOES MAINSTREAM: TIME FOR STRONG MEDIA WATCHDOGS}}, institution = {QuotaClimat}, year = {2024}, month = dec, url = {https://quotaclimat.org/app/uploads/2025/02/climate-disinformation-time-for-strong-media-watchdogs-quotaclimat.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }