Earlier this month, United Nations Secretary General António Guterres made headlines by calling on all media outlets around the globe to stop running fossil fuel ads. We know it’s possible because outlets like Vox, The Guardian and Le Monde have already announced they will no longer accept advertising from fossil fuel companies.
But advertising policy is a corporate decision, made by each newspaper, radio station, and cable network individually. Guterres made a passionate speech denouncing fossil fuel companies for “distorting the truth, deceiving the public, and sowing doubt” about climate change. Now, we need to back up that call with a mass action that convinces news outlets to listen.
Sign the petition urging media outlets to stop running fossil fuel ads.
Sadly, while some outlets have decided that doing their part to preserve a livable planet is more important than raking in oil companies’ ad dollars, most have not.
Those who frequently run fossil fuel ads – many of them intended to deceive the public about fossil fuel companies role in climate change –include massive outlets with global reach like CNN, MSNBC, the Washington Post, Reuters, Politico and more.
People read and watch the news for truthful, accurate information about current events — including the climate crisis. When fossil fuel companies are allowed intersperse those stories with paid lies and deception, news outlets betray the trust of the audience and fail in their civic duty to promote the truth.
Add your name to the petition urging fossil fuel companies to stop taking running fossil fuel ads.