Local Climate Experts: The Influence of Local TV Weather Information on Climate Change Perceptions.

ABSTRACT: Individuals who identify changes in their local climate are also more likely to report that they have personally experienced global climate change. One way that people may come to recognize that their local climate is changing is through information provided by local TV weather forecasters. Using random digit dialing, 2,000 adult local TV news viewers in Virginia were surveyed to determine whether routine exposure to local TV weather forecasts influences their perceptions of extreme weather in Virginia, and their perceptions about climate change more generally. Results indicate that paying attention to TV weather forecasts is associated with beliefs that extreme weather is becoming more frequent in Virginia, which in turn is associated with stronger beliefs and concerns about climate chang

SUBMITTER: Bloodhart B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4638344 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature