The flip side of climate change coverage is energy. CJR offers a prescription for how to revitalize the beat. Broadly speaking, the authors argue: if energy news is to engage and inform the decisions of politicians, industry executives, and the public, the media must think more strategically about what they cover, how they cover it,…Continue Reading…
Joe Romm, the self-appointed climate journalism watchdog, goes bananas over this story by Andy Revkin. After a meanering 2,400 word critique, Romm hands down his judgment in bold: Revkin should retract this entire piece. At least he didn’t demand that Revkin apologize to humanity. That’s (climate) progress of a sort. But seriously, if anyone wants…Continue Reading…
John Fleck clinically demolishes Michael Tobis’s straw man critique of climate change-related journalism. Tobis is often a thoughtful blogger but he also suffers from the same journalism-is-failing-us syndrome that afflicts Joe Romm and many other climate advocates.
They’re the ones that have destroyed newspapers, says Michael Moore, not the internet. Of course, he’s only half right, which is always good enough for Moore, and besides, he’s got a movie to plug. But there may soon come a day where he’s chasing a wild-eyed Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr. through the streets of Times…Continue Reading…
Those who despair over the future of the planet because of mainstream journalism’s shortcomings might want to glance at this online magazine. I once had high hopes that Grist would go this route. Instead they’ve turned into a web-version of Speaker’s Corner for green activists. Via Poynter Online, here’s a nice description of the innovative,…Continue Reading…
If natural gas is the supposed bridge fuel to sustainable energy, then maybe think tanks (of all political and ideological stripes) will become a new bridge to an economically sustainable web-based journalism. (There are other emerging bridges in the non-profit sector.) I’m in favor of this development, so long as the hallmarks of good journalism,…Continue Reading…
Kudos to Curtis Brainard over at The Observatory for his criticism of the media’s latest round of “overly alarming” swine flu coverage, which was driven by the recent White House report. As Brainard notes, The worst offender was perhaps USA Today. The White House report clearly states””many times, and at one point in big, capital…Continue Reading…
Flogging the mainstream media for its reporting on climate change is a daily sport of conservatives and liberals. But the stars must be weirdly aligned today, what with Planet Gore and Climate Progress both heaping praise on journalists. Even barking mad dogs know how to enjoy a good bone every now and then.
Carl Zimmer is compiling a list for science writers.
I am a huge fan of Foreign Policy magazine’s website. In addition to their terrific roster of bloggers, they put up a treasure trove of original content every day. I’m convinced they’ve hit on a successful journalistic formula. The lively mag site on the web is a different animal from the print version. The two…Continue Reading…