In California, oil lobbying groups are rewarding journalists for covering them in a positive light and shaping dirty energy narratives.
As Indybay reported, the Western States Petroleum Association sponsored the Sacramento Press Club's Annual Journalism Awards Reception.
Months later, the association sponsored a media dinner in Sacramento. The association is the state and region's most powerful oil industry lobbying group.
Only a few critics have questioned and spoken out about the relationship between the Big Oil industry and investigative journalists.
Journalist Aaron Cantu tweeted, "As the recipient of @SacPressClub's environmental award last year, it's concerning to see fossil fuel industry talking points passed off uncritically here. WSPA becoming lede sponsor happened in the context of a global PR turn as the climate crisis worsens."
Big Oil funding for journalism awards is concerning because money can influence what some writers publish.
When oil associations collaborate with the media, journalistic credibility can be compromised by misinformation about their environmental impact. However, Big Oil money can be enticing for media companies struggling to stay in business, remain profitable, and pay their journalists.
Media outlets that gloss over the severity of oil-related pollution have a significant impact on our planet's climate crisis and increases in extreme weather events.
Oil companies are major contributors to pollution and our overheating planet, so they have financial incentives to influence news content in favor of their industry. Yet, a troubling conflict of interest results when the media takes money from these groups and provides filtered climate information to locals via the news.
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Absolutely 👍 A Drilled and DeSmog joint report titled "Readers for Sale: The Media's Role in Climate Delay" states, "As the business model for media has faltered, the fossil fuel industry has increasingly weaponized weaknesses to its benefit."
Jamie Henn from Fossil Free Media said, "By letting the fossil fuel industry sponsor events, groups like SEJ [Society of Environmental Journalists] lend credibility to bad actors" attempting to "influence coverage and maintain their social license by pretending to be well-meaning supporters of the free press."
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