The media informs opinion and shapes views about the world around us. To a large extent, people choose how they interpret the information in the media to inform or reinforce their own personal world view. And the media itself filters and interprets the available information in the first place, to uphold the interests of its corporate owners.

This includes what we know and understand about our environment. Climate change, for example: where the media does cover it, much of the reporting is not grounded in research or informed by facts; and crucial evidence is largely ignored and environmental activists and climate scientists undermined or even pilloried.

While controversy among the majority of scientists is rare, the role that media plays in constructing the norms and ideas in society can be extremely divisive.

Concern for the environment is a prominent feature of contemporary British politics and culture. Such concern is not new. Many of today's environmental pressure groups date from the turn of the century and a good deal of the legislation protecting the environment derives from the 1940s and 1950s. What is new, is on the one hand, the global approach to the problem - both figuratively and literally - and, on the other hand, the popularisation of the issues by the mass media.

So how does the media select what to feed to the public and who is behind those decisions? Our next Cloud Café online discussion will explore the messages we receive through the mainstream outlets.

The debate will ask why the mainstream media typically ignores or downplays the threat from climate change, whether there should be penalties for misinformation (such as climate change denial) that can lead to societal harm, and which sources we should trust for serious, unbiased reporting.

Dr. Jonathan Fuller, veteran environmental campaigner, will be speaking with others on the subject which will be followed by discussion, comment and debate from the online audience.

Come and join us – everyone is welcome. Can’t watch on the night? Register anyway and you will be sent the recording.