Rajan Wilcox
The fossil fuel industry has a significant influence on news media, particularly in terms of environmental journalism and climate change coverage. This influence is often exerted through advertising and sponsored content, with major news outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Reuters creating and publishing native advertisements and advertorials for fossil fuel companies. These ads are designed to resemble editorial content, lending credibility to the industry's messaging. Additionally, the industry spreads misinformation and engages in greenwashing, particularly on social media, to shape public discourse and delay policy action on climate change. The industry's vast financial resources and the need for revenue by news outlets have contributed to this dynamic.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Fossil fuel companies promote their own agendas through | Native advertising, advertorials, and sponsorships |
| In-house ad agencies and internal brand studios of major news outlets | |
| Corporate-sponsored content | |
| Social media campaigns | |
| Dark money donations to politicians and political campaigns | |
| Fossil fuel companies promote | Carbon capture, hydrogen, carbon offsets, and natural gas as climate solutions |
| Misinformation and greenwashing | |
| Fossil fuel companies hinder environmental journalism by | Producing intentionally misleading information |
| Spreading their own narrative | |
| Fossil fuel companies reframe online climate and sustainability communication by | Redirecting and reshaping the social media conversation |
| Fossil fuel companies shape | Media narratives and public discourse on climate change |
| Fossil fuel companies cause | Political polarization of climate change beliefs |
| Fossil fuel companies influence | Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) |
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What You'll Learn
- Fossil fuel companies use dark money donations to influence legislation and elections
- Fossil fuel companies spread misinformation and greenwash their practices
- Fossil fuel companies use native advertising to promote their narratives
- Fossil fuel companies reframe social media conversations to suit their goals
- Fossil fuel companies influence news outlets by providing revenue through advertising
Fossil fuel companies use dark money donations to influence legislation and elections
Fossil fuel companies have been known to use "dark money" donations to influence legislation and elections, often spreading misinformation about clean energy and promoting the continued use of non-renewable resources. The term "dark money" refers to political campaign donations where the source of the donation is not disclosed, and often the amount as well. These donations are funnelled through nonprofit organizations, allowing wealthy special interest groups to influence the political process anonymously.
One example of this is the influence of The Empowerment Alliance (TEA) and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) on Ohio's House Bill 507. Emails exposed by the Energy and Policy Institute revealed that these groups pushed Ohio state senators to support natural gas use, with Senator Lang writing that he would be leaving the ALEC convention with "model legislation to define…that natural gas is clean energy". TEA has also spent millions of dollars on ads attacking renewable energy sources.
Another instance of fossil fuel companies' influence on elections can be seen in the 2024 election cycle, where the oil and gas industry gave $2 million to Donald Trump's campaign and over $900,000 to Ted Cruz's campaign. In total, the industry gave about $26 million in campaign contributions to the winning candidates, 88% of which went to Republicans.
The fossil fuel industry also spends over $100 million each year lobbying politicians to enact legislation favourable to the industry, such as voting against climate policy, slowing the adoption of cleaner energy, and imposing strict punishments on peaceful protests. By spreading misinformation and attempting to sway the courts, the industry works to protect its business model, even as the damages caused by burning fossil fuels become more widespread.
The use of dark money by fossil fuel companies poses a significant threat to the legitimacy of the democratic process and the transition to renewable energy. As David Pomerantz, executive director of the Energy and Policy Institute, wrote, "America's monopoly electric and gas utilities are using the money that they collect from customers' monthly bills to fund political machines that push legislation, curry favour with regulators, and alter the outcomes of elections".
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Fossil fuel companies spread misinformation and greenwash their practices
The fossil fuel industry has a significant influence on news media, often hindering environmental journalism by spreading misinformation and greenwashing their practices. This is done through various means, including advertising, lobbying, and funding lobby groups and politicians.
One common tactic used by fossil fuel companies is to shift the narrative and reframe the conversation on social media and other platforms. They do this by focusing on their sustainability efforts, net-zero ambitions, and clean energy investments, while downplaying the environmental impact of their operations. For example, companies like ExxonMobil have touted carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a "climate solution," even though most CCS projects are used to enhance oil recovery rather than genuinely reduce emissions. Similarly, the industry is promoting hydrogen fuel as an upcoming clean energy solution, despite the significant climate toll of hydrogen production, which is often powered by burning fossil fuels.
Fossil fuel companies also engage in misleading advertising, with campaigns that misrepresent the sustainability of their activities, underreport their greenhouse gas emissions, and promote commercially unproven "solutions" to ongoing fossil fuel production. Native advertising, where the content blends in with the publication's regular editorial content, is another tactic used by the industry. For example, in 2018, the NYT T Brand Studio released a native ad sponsored by Chevron, titled "How abundant energy is fueling U.S. growth," highlighting the economic and environmental strengths of the natural gas industry. Fewer than one in 10 digital news readers could accurately identify this as an advertisement.
The industry also lobbies governments and politicians to influence policy decisions and block progress on climate action. For instance, a group with ties to the gas industry lobbied Ohio legislators to pass a law defining methane gas as "green energy," and oil companies like Koch Industries have funded associations of Republican attorneys trying to block states seeking compensation for weather disasters caused by climate change. Additionally, fossil fuel companies fund secretive lobby groups and far-right politicians who push back against climate progress.
The spread of misinformation and greenwashing by the fossil fuel industry has real-world consequences, delaying meaningful climate action and allowing these companies to continue their core businesses of oil, gas, and coal. It is crucial for news outlets to recognize and address the influence of fossil fuel corporations in the media and for policymakers to introduce regulations to curb deceptive marketing and advertising.
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Fossil fuel companies use native advertising to promote their narratives
Fossil fuel companies are increasingly using native advertising to promote their narratives and shape public perceptions of the climate crisis. Native advertising is a form of advertising that is designed to blend in with the surrounding content, making it difficult for readers to distinguish it from regular editorial content. This type of advertising is often sponsored by companies and created by news organizations to mimic the tone and format of the publication's regular reported content.
Major news outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Reuters have been involved in creating and publishing native advertisements for fossil fuel companies. For example, in 2018, the NYT T Brand Studio released a native ad sponsored by Chevron titled "How abundant energy is fueling U.S. growth." The ad highlighted the economic and environmental benefits of the natural gas industry, positioning it as a solution to global energy demand and rising emissions concerns.
Fossil fuel companies are spending tens of millions of dollars on these native advertising campaigns to influence public opinion and shape the narrative around climate change. These ads often focus on promoting the potential of technologies like carbon capture and storage, hydrogen, and natural gas as viable climate solutions. Additionally, they may engage in subtle misinformation and conversation reframing, known as "greenwashing," to redirect the discourse on social media and influence the communication of climate watchdog organizations.
Studies have shown that native advertising can be highly effective in swaying readers' opinions. For instance, a study by Boston University researchers found that when participants were exposed to a native ad from ExxonMobil, their perceptions of the company's sustainability improved, even when disclosure or inoculation messages were present. However, these interventions did reduce the effectiveness of the ad, highlighting the importance of transparency and critical thinking in recognizing and counteracting climate disinformation.
To address the impact of native advertising by fossil fuel companies, news outlets can publicly recognize the risks of allowing these corporations to spread their narratives. Additionally, major publishers can take a firm stance on environmental journalism and climate change, validating concerns about the influence of fossil fuel corporations in the media.
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Fossil fuel companies reframe social media conversations to suit their goals
The fossil fuel industry has a long history of leveraging media technology to its advantage. With the rise of social media, these companies have shifted their focus to online platforms, aiming to reframe the conversation around climate change to suit their goals. This strategy involves engaging with intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that are watchdogs for climate misinformation. By reframing the discussion, the fossil fuel industry aims to focus the online climate debate on their sustainability efforts and showcase their "innovative" climate solutions.
One common tactic employed by fossil fuel companies is to emphasize favorable interpretations of events or data and reframe conversations to align with their preferred narratives. For example, they may highlight their investment in renewable technologies while downplaying the negative environmental impact of their core business practices. This strategic shift aims to delay the transition to a renewable future and maintain their dominance in the energy sector.
Social media platforms, with their vast reach, provide an ideal arena for this reframing strategy. A data-driven analysis by npj Climate Action examined Twitter interactions between fossil fuel firms, NGOs, and IGOs. The study found that these stakeholders are responsive to each other online, especially on topics within their areas of domain expertise. Fossil fuel companies are more likely to respond to changes in online messaging from IGOs and NGOs, particularly regarding environmental justice and climate action.
Additionally, the fossil fuel industry has been accused of greenwashing, a form of subtle misinformation. They may promote specific technologies, such as carbon capture and storage, as viable climate solutions, despite the challenges in scaling them effectively. By partnering with reputable news outlets and leveraging native advertising, they can disseminate these messages more broadly, benefiting from the credibility of trusted news sources.
To counter the influence of the fossil fuel industry, news outlets can publicly recognize the risks of allowing these corporations to spread their narratives. Major publishers can also take a firm stance on climate change and validate the concerns about the overbearing reach of fossil fuel corporations in the media. By doing so, they can enhance the legitimacy of their environmental journalism and provide a more balanced perspective to their audiences.
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Fossil fuel companies influence news outlets by providing revenue through advertising
The fossil fuel industry has long influenced news media through advertising and sponsorship. Fossil fuel companies have vast amounts of capital at their disposal, and news outlets are increasingly desperate for revenue. From 2007 to 2018, the fossil fuel industry spent $1.4 billion on advertising. This dynamic has resulted in news outlets producing content for fossil fuel corporations.
Native advertising is a form of advertising that has become increasingly popular among news outlets. Native ads are designed to look like authentic editorial content, lending credibility to the fossil fuel industry's messaging. In 2018, the New York Times T Brand Studio released a native ad sponsored by Chevron titled “How abundant energy is fueling U.S. growth." The ad described the economic and environmental strengths of the natural gas industry, presenting it as the only fuel source that could reconcile global energy demand with rising emissions concerns. However, studies have shown that readers often confuse native ads with genuine news articles, which can tarnish the reputation of the news outlets involved.
News outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Reuters have been involved in creating and publishing native advertisements and advertorials for fossil fuel companies. These advertorials date back to the 1970s, with companies like ExxonMobil using them to promote fossil fuels as essential and to cast doubt on climate science. This strategy has evolved with the digital age, and branded content studios within news organizations now produce sophisticated native ads that align with the publication's style.
In addition to native advertising, fossil fuel companies have also sponsored newsletters and podcasts. For example, in 2022, the Washington Post Creative Group placed ExxonMobil sponsorships in more than 100 editions of its newsletters. Similarly, Saudi Aramco's podcast has promoted the fossil fuel industry's innovation in climate solutions, and BP's podcast has proclaimed the same. These messages are often produced and promoted by the in-house ad agencies of reputable news organizations, benefiting from the credibility these media brands have built over the years.
The fossil fuel industry's messaging has contributed to public skepticism about climate change and delayed policy action. By framing climate change as a distant threat and emphasizing the economic costs of mitigation, the industry has influenced media narratives, presenting climate change as a debatable issue rather than a scientific consensus. The industry has also been adept at using social media to spread misinformation and greenwash its activities, emphasizing its role in providing jobs and supporting the economy while downplaying its environmental impact.
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Frequently asked questions
The fossil fuel industry influences the news by spreading misinformation and greenwashing its activities. They do this through native advertising, advertorials, and partnerships with media organizations. Native advertising is designed to look like authentic editorial content, lending credibility to the fossil fuel industry's messaging.
In 2018, the NYT T Brand Studio released a native ad sponsored by Chevron titled “How abundant energy is fueling U.S. growth.”. The advertisement described the economic and environmental strengths of the natural gas industry, depicting it as a solution to global energy demand and rising emissions. This stood in contrast to scientific evidence that fracked natural gas is more harmful to the climate than coal.
The fossil fuel industry benefits from influencing the news by shaping public discourse on climate change, delaying policy action, and contributing to public skepticism about climate change. This allows them to continue operating without regulation and promoting the use of non-renewable resources.
