Mediated climate change in Britain: Scepticism on the web and on television around Copenhagen

Copenhagen 2009 was a major moment in the development of climate change as an issue. But climate sceptics before and during this event, sought to influence the nature of debate, and for this reason, the way Copenhagen was covered in the mass media was particularly important. This paper outlines the contours of contrarian arguments and claims, and assesses their reflection in the coverage at Copenhagen. The focus is on television, and extends to the assessment of internet – both modes of mass communication underrepresented in the existing literature. The results suggest a higher profile for contrarians and scepticism than is perhaps healthy, and speak to the role of these mass media, now and in the future, particularly with regard to the issue of public comprehension of the issues involved.

► An assessment of the contours of climate sceptic argument.
► The analysis of coverage of Copenhagen in two under-researched but important media – TV and the web.
► Evaluating the relationship between conventional and new media coverage of climate change.
► Consideration of the implications of mediated scepticism, at Copenhagen and in the future.