Vested interests 2: lobbying, state capture, and role of the media

“Did we aggressively fight against some of the science? Yes.”

– Keith McCoy, senior lobbyist for ExxonMobil (quoted in Unearthed, 2021)

In previous sections, we saw a glaring lack of government action on the climate crisis, despite ever-stronger scientific warnings and strong public support for more ambitious climate policy. One major factor for this lack of government action is lobbying by fossil fuel companies.

This video of an undercover interview with ExxonMobil lobbyists gives you an idea of how fossil fuel companies have used lobbying and funding of political actors to block or delay climate action.

Manufacturing public opinion? The role of the media in the climate crisis

Most people learn about the climate crisis through mainstream or social media.

However, despite being an existential threat, the climate crisis (with some exceptions) rarely receives sustained media attention. When it does, coverage is often inadequate or misleading (Cooper, 2024). This stems to a large extent from systemic biases related to media ownership and funding (Edwards and Cromwell, 2006; Ellen Good, 2008).

What’s the purpose of the media and who do they serve?

A problem related to media is that most mainstream outlets are private corporations driven by profit (Herman and Chomsky, 2021). Their primary goal is to serve the interests of their shareholders, not necessarily the public (Herman and Chomsky, 2021). Media companies thus tend to be only as truthful, engaged, or critical in their coverage of the climate crisis as is beneficial for their financial or political interests, or those of their shareholders (Edwards and Cromwell, 2006; Ellen Good, 2008; Cooper, 2024). This is why so many may feel that the media “are failing us” when it comes to the climate crisis.

What’s the role of advertisers?

For many outlets, the main revenue stream doesn’t come from selling media products (like newspapers) but from advertisements. Thus, rather than serving the interests of those consuming their media products, media companies are more likely to cater their content to the interests of advertisers – and advertisers too are typically corporations focused on maximising profits (Herman and Chomsky, 2021).

This also means that media consumers become a product that media companies sell to advertisers. This is particularly true for social media platforms like Facebook, X/Twitter, or Instagram. These platforms have become crucial new avenues for vested interests to influence people in subtle but highly effective ways, for example, via targeted advertisements or subtle political campaigns (Collier, 2024).

Media bias on the climate crisis

These structural biases make it less likely for messages challenging powerful industries, such as the fossil fuel sector, to feature prominently in the media. Moreover, fossil fuel companies have the means to actively shape media narratives, sponsoring content, providing “expert” accounts, and discrediting critical voices (Herman and Chomsky, 2021). For example, in 2022, ExxonMobil sponsored more than 100 editions of the Washington Post’s newsletters, whilst Reuters hosted fossil fuel industry trade shows, conferences and events designed to unblock “key pain points holding back drilling and [fossil fuel] production maximisation” (Desmog, 2023, Reuter Events, 2023). Meanwhile, messages emphasising systemic change or reduced consumption often get drowned out or sidelined.

Share your thoughts

Take a moment to reflect on the role of vested interests with regards to the climate crisis using the following questions:

• Do you see fossil fuel companies and private media companies as part of the problem or as part of the solution?
• What do you think should happen to tackle the issues related to vested interests?

Share your thoughts and discuss with other learners in the Comments section.