This research explores how television programs that focus on climate change issues impact German teenagers' actions regarding climate protection. Public discussions on climate change in Germany have focused on achieving a fundamental transformation of the relationship between society and the
environment. Besides political/governmental adaptation or mitigation strategies to tackle global warming (e.g. technological innovations), significant transformations at the individual level have also been deliberated. In this work, individuals indicate a willingness that societal change is necessary to address climate change. However, the gap between awareness, intended behavior and action‐related behavior is still pronounced.Public awareness has taken place significantly through media. In this context, television can be considered as the primary medium to gather information. With origins in media socialization literatures, this research interrogates how television carries, contests and communicates normative and cultural values of young adults, as deeply linked to their social reference systems ("peer‐group"). Numerous studies on climate change in the media have asked if and how issues like environment,
sustainability, and climate change have been represented in the media. Other studies have dealt with the question of media genesis of climate change over the past three decades and how the issues have been framed in media broadcasting. Largely, there has been a focus on print media, and television
research has scarcely been considered in that context. In addition, little thought has been given to behavioral intent and patterns for climate protection and the connection with media use. Therefore, I examine what influence media has on adolescent's behavior concerning climate issues. This is particularly important in terms of public broadcasting in Germany that has an educational mandate to
inform and educate people about climate change and climate protection issues.