Overview

In order to improve the communication of climate science in the news media, foster a series of visits and conferences whereby respected journalists and editors informed on climate change can speak to their peer editors. The objective is to have those who can credibly talk about story ideas and craft reach out to their peers about how to cover the climate change issue with appropriate urgency, context, and journalistic integrity.

Recent posts | Participants | News | Objective | Related initiatives

News

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Objective

  • Orchestrate roadshows. To ensure maximum exposure to these events for editors and news directors, it will be necessary to take the show on the road. Presentations should be made in the newsroom, with free lunch provided. Editors will not go elsewhere, as they lack the time, resources, and inclination.
  • Focus on journalists and editors, not scientists, as messengers. The media world is relatively insular. The most credible messengers to news editors and directors are their peers, either other editors or respected journalists in the field. Scientists are considered an
    interest group by some in the news media. If editors are seen coaching scientists, that would be viewed as a form of advocacy.
  • Target other important constituencies. Publishers should also be addressed given their role in answering to advertiser pressures.
  • Spotlight historical examples of news media missing a big story. Identify and spotlight historical examples where newspapers have apologized to readers after the fact for failing to adequately investigate a story (e.g., the civil rights movement). Raise the question: Is climate change today such a story?
  • Identify and disseminate compelling climate change stories –and axes of conflict – so as to better engage audience interest. Some believe that a more pronounced effort should be made to spotlight bad actors on the climate change issue, i.e., those vested interests who may be muddying the science or otherwise impeding an accurate public understanding of the issue. These stories contain elements of conflict and drama and could be more effectively highlighted in mainstream programs such as 60 Minutes and others. Investigative reporting should be expanded on who is funding scientific work across the board, so that agendas
    can be disclosed and the public can have the context it needs.
  • Get climate change into other newspaper sections. Seek to move climate change from the science or environment pages into the other sections whenever possible (e.g., foreign news, political news, even feature coverage of personalities associated with the issue).
  • Get climate change on the agenda of news media associations, conferences and other high-volume gathering points. One example is the American Society of News Editors Annual Conference. Similar sessions could be added to the broadcast journalist’s conference.

Related Initiatives

  • The Aldo Leopold Leadership Program trains environmental scientists to communicate their work effectively to a variety of non-scientific audiences. Each year up to 20 academic environmental scientists are selected to receive intensive experiential training, expert consultation, and peer networking. Leopold Leadership Fellows hone skills to better communicate the science associated with complex environmental issues to the media, policy makers, business leaders and other non-scientists.
  • The Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting provides fellowships each year for journalists in print, broadcast, and electronic media to learn about science and the research process, from interpreting marine and environmental issues to understanding the principles of scientific research.
  • The National Environmental Trust is a non-profit, non-partisan organization established in 1994 to inform citizens about environmental problems and how they affect our health and quality of life. NET’s public education campaigns use modern communication techniques and the latest scientific studies to translate complex environmental issues for citizens. Furthermore, NET works in states across the country to localize the impacts of national problems, as well as to highlight opportunities for Americans to engage in the policymaking process.

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