2010-11-24

Covering Climate Change | Worldwatch Institute

Ups and Downs
Before Climategate, most reporters and editors stopped covering climate change as a scientific controversy, but the episode tested whether journalists truly understood climate science. The widespread willingness to regard it as a matter of political debate, with two sides deserving equal attention, reflected a lack of journalistic progress.
In the science community, many criticized news coverage for succumbing to the back-and-forth debates adored by climate change deniers. "It was a total manipulation. The press reacted like lemmings - they jumped on it and it's a non-issue," said Columbia University paleoclimatologist Peter deMenocal.
Such poor scientific awareness, common throughout newsrooms, is not likely to improve anytime soon. Economically faltering news organizations across the industrialized world have downsized staff, shrunk content, and reduced coverage. PriceWaterhouseCoopers expects the global newspaper market to undergo a 2-percent annual decline through 2013 as advertisers spend their money elsewhere and readers turn to free online content. Although media markets are prospering in some places, such as India and Latin America, most European and U.S. print, broadcast, and radio newsrooms are grappling with smaller budgets.
Recent layoff trends in the media market suggest that science and environment reporters are often the first to lose their jobs. CNN, for instance, laid off its entire science and technology staff in 2008. In the United States, two decades ago nearly 150 newspapers included a science section; today fewer than 20 do. The remaining reporters are expected to cover stories such as climate change along with their regular reporting duties.
Many U.S. news organizations have also closed their foreign bureaus. Christian Science Monitor correspondent Jill Carroll counted 141 U.S. newspaper foreign reporters in 2006, 47 fewer than in 2002 and likely many more than today. They instead practice "parachute journalism," temporarily traveling abroad to cover breaking news in places where they often lack the background, sources, or cultural sensitivities necessary to provide a fully contextualized story.
While CNN still managed 33 foreign bureaus as of 2008, most broadcast news organizations have shuttered international operations. "All broadcasters had bureaus in all the major cities. That just doesn't happen anymore," said Judy Muller, a former correspondent for National Public Radio and ABC News. "Africa is usually covered by stringers - that's a whole continent!"
Worldwide, however, climate change coverage is on the rise. A 50-newspaper survey across 20 countries by University of Colorado and Oxford University researchers found "climate change" or "global warming" mentioned in about 400 stories in January 2004, mostly in the European, North American, Australian, and New Zealand press. Following the 2006 releases of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth and British economist Nicholas Stern's report on the cost of climate change inaction, coverage increased considerably. The survey found some 2,000 stories, on average, each January from 2007 through 2009, with an increase in reports from Asia and the Middle East.
Despite the increase in science and environment stories, in-depth coverage of scientific developments, technology solutions, and political responses is decreasing by the day. The Baltimore Sun, for example, has reduced its news staff and the size of its print edition significantly in recent years. As a result, the Pew Research Center observed that the newspaper produced 32 percent fewer stories on any subject last year compared to 1999 and 73 percent fewer than in 1991. Tim Wheeler, a longtime environment reporter at The Sun, must find a local angle to justify writing a national or international story. One proposed story (Maryland-based scientists who were conducting climate-related research in the Bering Sea) was quashed last year due to the expense.
"Unless current conditions change," Wheeler told me, "I do worry that the public won't get enough credible, independent information about the climate legislation pending in the Senate or other climate-related issues to make really informed judgments."

American Rhetoric: Abraham Lincoln - Gettysburg Address

It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain

2010-11-22

7 questions to reflect on before hiring a college intern for social media - GovLoop - Social Network for Government



Comment by Sarah Vroman on November 16, 2010 at 10:32am



Thanks for the great post. It is imperative to stop thinking of social media as a cheap, disposable way of communicating and instead start to form some solid strategies around how to use these highly effective communications tools. You wouldn't let your intern manage all of your Press contacts, so why would you let them run a program that can reach thousands, if not tens of thousands, of your customers?
Excellent comment! For those of us involved with Social Media, the entire post is worthy of "reflection".

2010-11-19

300 YEARS OF FOSSIL-FUELED ADDICTION IN 5 MINUTES


A really great video from the Post Carbon Institute... a little history, and some humor. Some of the comments on the YouTube page come from rabid attack dogs, but that seems to be common for all YouTube videos these days.
Have a look at it here, or follow the link to the YouTube page.
Definitely a nice roll up of the information.

2010-11-10

Weston faces down Westboro's Hate mongers!

Posted by Lady Liberty on Tuesday, November 9, 2010, 6:53 PM
Disgusting, hateful protesters from Westboro Baptist Church meet with consolidated resistance from patriots from all over the world when they try to protest the funeral of fallen soldier, Sgt.C.J. Sadell.

Via Fox News -
Members of a small Missouri town banded together Saturday to block a controversial pastor and members of his Westboro Baptist Church from protesting the funeral of a fallen U.S. soldier, Fox4kc.com reports.
Hundreds of residents in Weston, Mo. — as well as people as far away as California and Australia– rallied in support of Sgt. First Class C.J. Sadell, who died from injuries suffered during a surprise attack in Afghanistan.
The residents sought to block Fred Phelps, leader of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., and his followers from picketing Sadell’s funeral, according to the station.
[...]
“We got everybody here early so we could take up all the parking spots,” Rebecca Rooney of Weston, Mo., told Fox4kc.com. “We did that so Mr. Phelps wouldn’t have a contingency that was really close.”
“I’m glad they left, but I’m sad they came,” she said.
Sadell, who leaves behind a wife and two sons, was stationed in the Arif Kala region of Afghanistan when his unit was ambushed on Oct. 5. Five soldiers were killed in the attack and Sadell was badly injured.
The 34-year-old died from his injuries on Oct. 24.
As Jennifer at Double Nickel Farm so poignantly points out:
Are you wondering if I have had the pleasure of visiting this charming community? The truth is that I have not, and am not receiving anything for my review of Weston. I am quite simply an American who is grateful for these folks and how they stood up to the Westboro Baptist Church and their vile protest at military funerals.
Imagine that- hundreds of residents…and that is from a population of 1,631! I love this community and those that rallied for Sgt. First Class Sadell’s family during this emotional time. These people are folks I would be proud to be neighbors of, and most certainly would enjoy a visit in their neck of the woods. C.J Sadell leaves behind a wife and two sons and will be missed dearly, I am certain.
Sometimes a tragedy brings to light awareness of a strength and fortitude that one never really knew existed. With the actions of Weston, MO., each and everyone of us can take back our country, and bring back the values that have been rapidly eroding. America is a nation that has required a price, whether one understands this or not, and we must never, never, never dishonor those who have given all for Her colors to boldly wave.
I for one am absolutely hopeful that soon I can travel to this community and personally thank them, we all can show our gratitude by visiting and generating our vacation dollars locally, as they will not be wasted.
I love this story!  It reaffirms my belief in the order of the universe.  It proves that there are far more good and honest people in this world then there are bad.  Never forget that.
Westboro is trying for martyrdom when they try stunts like this. Not sure what would happen if they tried this in my home town, but I don't think it would have been this friendly...