In a period marked by the global energy crisis, triggered by the invasion of Ukraine, and by climate change with its corollary of extreme weather events, Newsback wanted to devote a special edition to these two subjects which structure the news. . Which theme is most associated with misinformation in the press?
To shed light on the weight of misinformation in the media's treatment of climate and energy, Newsback analyzed 5.400 news programs broadcast by 410 TV and radio channels as well as a selection of 3.000 print and online press publications, from January 1, 2013 to March 31, 2023.
Here are the main results.
Disinformation: energy supplants the climate
92.015: this is the number of articles or subjects associating, since 2013, energy with disinformation, more than twice as many as those associating climate and disinformation (40.649 citations).
It should be noted that whether it is one or the other of these subjects, it is the online press that deals with these questions the most (50% of quotes for the climate and 40% for energy ) ahead of the written press (27% for the climate and 33% for energy) and the audiovisual media (23% for the climate and 27% for energy).
The media visibility of topics dealing with energy and disinformation peaked in March 2022, the day after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, when Vladimir Putin threatened to cut "the gas tap" (when 45% of imports from European countries came from Russia). This war in Ukraine has triggered soaring energy costs and propelled to the forefront of the media scene a series of debates, controversies and political initiatives around sources of supply, France's energy sovereignty, the revival nuclear power and related policy in recent decades, the relevance and development of renewable energies, the energy transition of buildings, public lighting and sobriety...
However, not all energy sources benefit from the same media visibility and are not all subject to the same intensity in terms of disinformation.
Thus, it is fossil fuels – oil and gas – which have been the most media-focused of all energies and the main sources of fake news since 2013.
Oil – which represents 37% of all articles or topics dealing with energy since January 1, 2013 – is the source of energy most often associated with misinformation. Thus, 35% of articles dealing with energy and disinformation concerned oil in 2013 and 33% in 2022. Oil recorded its media visibility record in October 2018 (137.583 quotes, i.e. nearly 4.450 quotes/day during the month) with the birth of the Yellow Vests movement in response to the rise in fuel prices resulting from the increase in the domestic consumption tax on energy products (TICPE).
Gas (30% of articles dealing with energy) is the source of 35% of articles dealing with energy and disinformation in 2013 compared to 31% in 2022. Unsurprisingly, it is in March 2022 that gas records the highest visibility with 80.437 quotes, i.e. more than 2.500 quotes/day.
In third position, nuclear (18% of the total of articles dealing with energy) which represents 20% of articles dealing with energy and disinformation in 2013 and 25% in 2022. A publication peak is also recorded in March 2022 43.324 quotes (i.e. more than 1.300 quotes/day during the month)
Finally, renewable energies* (15% of all articles dealing with energy) with 10% of articles dealing with energy and disinformation in 2013 and 11% in 2022. The peak of publications in September 2022 (28.017 citations), corresponds the presentation by Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Minister for Energy Transition, of her bill relating to the acceleration of the production of renewable energies in the Council of Ministers.
* Renewable Energies: solar, wind, hydroelectric
Methodology : study established from January 1, 2013 to March 31, 2023 by Tagaday, the No. 1 French media platform, based on the analysis of 5.400 news programs (broadcast by 410 channels and TV/radio stations for an average of 2.400 hours dailies) and a selection of 3.000 print media publications (printed press titles and editorial websites). Articles appearing in several editions of regional print publications are counted only once.