This report looks at the relevance of environmental sustainability for public service media (PSM) both from the audience’s perspective and that of PSM organizations. With the carbon footprint of media production increasing progressively, public service media are at the forefront of the industry’s efforts to improve its environmental impact. This report shows that PSM really are leaders in sustainability. Over 25 of them in the EBU area are involved in sustainability, with almost all having corporate strategies and offering a wide range of content on this topic.

Many consumers expect brands to be sustainable today. In addition, many countries are moving towards mandatory TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures) reporting. Beyond our operational impact, we need to acknowledge that our output has a significant impact on our audiences’ lives and on society. It is no different on sustainability, and we need to better acknowledge the positive and negative impacts that our content is generating in supporting society’s transition to net zero carbon. Several broadcasters now have very specific 'green' targets in place and some cross-industry initiatives are looking to support broadcasters in...

Reporting on climate issues in an impactful yet constructive manner is equally essential and urgent for public service journalism. Focusing on solutions, limiting negativity and training our journalists to understand the broader picture are pressing challenges facing our newsrooms. In this year's News Report, you'll find case studies to help you deliver climate-related journalism that will resonate with your audiences. They'll also guide you when reorganizing newsrooms and building expertise across all genres, ensuring transversal climate coverage. Last but not least, developing strategies for climate journalism is indispensable to making media...

The practice of environmental sustainability helps to ensure that the needs of today's population are met without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Public service media (PSM) organizations have a responsibility to improve their environmental performance, and this should be at the heart of their mission. Energy consumption is one of the factors focused upon when environmental sustainability is scrutinised. PSMs can help by using less energy in general and increasing the usage of green energy through their buildings, productions and transport. Being in the public spotlight and a role model, PSMs can influence others...

Pension schemes are an often overlooked but potentially powerful aspect of turning an organization into an agent of positive change. Through their choice of pension scheme, public service media organizations (PSM) can broaden the impact of their sustainability efforts and make it less likely for the financial flows generated by the organization to end up supporting counterproductive business practices elsewhere.

Like all industries, the broadcasting sector has a responsibility to improve its environmental performance. Many have shied away from tacking the topic due to a lack of expertise and resources but being more sustainable often leads to lower costs; and by sharing knowledge with others, we can all benefit.