Earth Day 2026

Molly Butler / Media Matters

Research/Study Research/Study

How national TV news networks covered Earth Day in 2026

Special Programs Climate & Energy

Written by Evlondo Cooper

Published

Earth Day, observed each year on April 22 since 1970, is one of the few predictable moments when broadcast networks air stories about climate and environmental issues. A Media Matters analysis of 2026 Earth Day coverage found that broadcast networks — ABC, CBS, and NBC — aired 33 minutes across 11 segments, while cable networks — CNN, Fox News, and MS NOW — aired 15 minutes across 7 segments.

The coverage followed familiar patterns: Feel-good nature segments and consumer-oriented content dominated, while broadcast segments avoided explaining the systemic drivers of climate change and environmental pollution, connecting impacts to policy, or identifying who is most affected by climate and environmental harms. On cable, reporting from CNN’s Bill Weir focused on the record-low level of Arctic sea ice and broader climate impacts.

Overall, the reporting reduced climate and environmental issues to isolated impacts and individual choices; the decisions, systems, and industries shaping our climate conditions were largely absent from Earth Day coverage.

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  • Topline findings

    • Broadcast networks — ABC, CBS, and NBC — aired a combined 33 minutes of climate and environmental coverage across 11 segments on Earth Day 2026.
    • ABC led with 17 minutes across 6 segments, followed by NBC with nearly 16 minutes across 4 segments, while CBS aired just 26 seconds in 1 segment.
    • Broadcast network coverage of Earth Day has declined in recent years, falling from 71 minutes in 2022 to 46 minutes in 2023 and 2024, just over 42 minutes in 2025, and 33 minutes in 2026.
    • Cable networks — CNN, Fox News, and MS NOW — aired a combined 15 minutes of Earth Day coverage across 7 segments; CNN accounted for the vast majority of this coverage, airing more than 13 minutes across 5 segments.

  • How broadcast networks covered Earth Day in 2026

  • Broadcast networks aired 33 minutes of Earth Day coverage in 2026, down from 46 minutes in 2023 and 2024 and just over 42 minutes in 2025.

    ABC and NBC accounted for nearly all of that time. ABC aired 17 minutes across 6 segments, while NBC aired nearly 16 minutes across 4 segments. CBS’ drop in coverage accounts for much of the decline from 2025 to 2026, airing just 1 segment of 26 seconds in 2026 compared to 13 minutes across 4 segments in 2025.

    Multiple networks aired versions of the same story about the debut of a new baby elephant at the National Zoo, with the story appearing across morning shows and evening newscasts. Other Earth Day segments focused on individual behavior, with coverage focused on household cleaning tips, product swaps, and lifestyle adjustments rather than the structural drivers of climate change and environmental pollution.

  • How cable news covered Earth Day in 2026

  • Cable networks — CNN, Fox News, and MS NOW — aired 15 combined minutes of Earth Day coverage across 7 segments.

    CNN accounted for nearly all of that coverage, airing 13 minutes across 5 segments. Fox News aired 1 minute and 37 seconds across 2 segments. MS NOW did not air any Earth Day segments.

    CNN’s coverage was driven by reporting from chief climate correspondent Bill Weir. Across multiple segments, Weir reported from the Arctic on record-low sea ice levels, describing how warming is reshaping the region and connecting those changes to global climate systems and policy decisions.

    Fox News aired limited coverage, including an interview dismissing the climate movement and a short segment about a baby elephant debuting at the National Zoo (a story that also aired on broadcast networks).

  • Earth Day coverage left out what is driving environmental problems, who is responsible, and who is affected

  • Earth Day coverage in 2026 largely failed to connect environmental conditions to the decisions shaping them. At a time when the Trump administration is weakening climate and environmental protections, as well as expanding fossil fuel development, Earth Day reporting neglected to explain how those actions are contributing to worsening climate impacts and environmental degradation. Coverage also did not identify who is affected, failing to examine which communities face the highest risks or how worsening environmental conditions translate into public health challenges and economic strain.

    The issue is not that networks aired stories about a baby elephant or segments showing how consumers can save money by making more ecologically conscious choices; the issue is that they did not also present reporting that explains what is causing higher temperatures, dirtier air, and polluted water, the people and industries actively driving these harms, or what solutions exist to address these systemic challenges.

    Earth Day provides networks with an opportunity to bring that reporting together for viewers’ benefit. Instead, national TV news' 2026 Earth Day coverage continued to leave those questions largely unaddressed.

  • Methodology

  • Media Matters searched transcripts in the SnapStream video database for all original episodes of ABC’s Good Morning America, GMA3, and World News Tonight; CBS’ Mornings and Evening News; and NBC’s Today, Today 3rd Hour, and Nightly News as well as all original programming on CNN Fox News Channel, and MS Now for any of the terms “Earth Day,” “global warming,” “climate,” “carbon,” “Environmental Protection Agency,” or “EPA” or any variations of any of the terms “emission,” “pollute,” or “environment” on April 22, 2026, Earth Day.

    We timed segments, which we defined as instances when environmental or climate issues were the stated topic of discussion or when we found significant discussion of environmental or climate issues. We defined significant discussion as instances when two or more speakers in a multitopic segment discussed environmental or climate issues with one another.

    We also timed mentions, which we defined as instances when a single speaker in a segment on another topics mentioned environmental or climate issues without another speaker engaging with the comment, and teasers, which we defined as instances when the anchor or host promoted a segment about environmental or climate issues scheduled to air later in the broadcast.

    We rounded all times to the nearest minute.