Chevron's Permian Proud website may look like a local news outlet based in West Texas and southeastern New Mexico, but it's actually a corporate-driven platform designed to shape public perception.
Media Matters reported that while the Proud publishes celebratory stories with eco-friendly themes, the site's content doesn't address the environmental impacts of oil and gas. This tactic highlights a broader issue where media outlets are relying on Big Oil for financial support, leading to a skewed view of what causes dirty energy in the environment through greenwashing.
What's happening?
Permian Proud promotes the illusion of corporate responsibility by focusing on Chevron's community initiatives, like sponsoring a Martin Luther King Jr. Day event or funding local schools and nonprofits. While these stories sound positive, they conveniently overlook the environmental costs tied to Chevron's operations. Instead, the site reports on these efforts by positioning the company as environmentally informed while avoiding any mention of its footprint.
Many media outlets have tied themselves to the oil and gas industry, raising concerns about the influence on their editorial independence. Since 2019, Reuters has expanded its commercial interests, hosting oil industry-sponsored events, conferences, and webinars for companies like Chevron, Shell, and BP, according to DeSmog.
These partnerships reflect the need for more traditional ad revenue so that outlets won't be tempted to rely on corporate oil and gas sponsorships to maintain financial stability. When media platforms accept funding from industries that contribute to pollution, their coverage of these issues can be influenced, leading to less urgency for sustainability.
For instance, companies will promote recycling efforts while continuing to produce nonrecyclable plastics. These practices shift the responsibility to consumers instead of addressing larger, systemic environmental challenges.
Why is comprehensive coverage important?
The Permian Basin is considered a "news desert" since it lacks access to local news sources with comprehensive coverage. When corporate-backed platforms like the Permian Proud dominate the narrative, it can shape public understanding of the environmental and health impacts of Big Oil. This is particularly important in regions like Texas, where the Permian Basin plays a significant role in the oil industry.
The mayor of Hobbs, New Mexico, Sam Cobb, acknowledged that it's uncommon to see accountability coming from platforms like the Permian Proud. He said to Floodlight News: "The oil and gas industry doesn't get much negative coverage out here."
What's being done about this?
An environmentalist in El Paso, Texas, Miguel Escoto is one of many who are speaking out against this website in hopes of educating the public on greenwashing and the importance of transparency. "Permian Proud is a blatant, naked attempt by industry to have their side of the story be told," Escoto told Texas Climate News.
🗣️ Do you think misinformation is a major problem in America today?
🔘 Definitely 💯
🔘 Only for some people 😒
🔘 Only with certain issues 🤔
🔘 Not really 🙅
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
To see more accurate and informed publications in the future, it's important to support independent journalism and advocate for transparency in media funding. By staying informed, questioning corporate claims, and supporting businesses with genuine sustainability goals, media outlets can put truth at the forefront of the conversation.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
