Unearthed Live: Climate reporting debate with Jon Snow
On February 11th, at notorious London media hangout The Frontline Club, Unearthed held a debate on the following question:
“Do journalists have a responsibility to campaign on climate change within their reporting?”
Somehow we ended up with an anecdote from Jon Snow about the time he and UN secretary general Ban Ki Moon wore polar bear trousers.
At #climatereporting debate. @jonsnowc4 admits to wearing polar bear trousers in the Arctic with Ban Ki-moon — Megan Darby (@rtcc_megan) February 11, 2015
But the rest of the evening was a sometimes heated, always interesting discussion between from our all-star panel and audience about what it means to be a energy and climate journalist.
Here’s introducing the panellists you’ll see in the video. (From left to right)
Li Shuo, energy analyst at Greenpeace China
Tom Chivers, senior writer at Buzzfeed UK
Jon Snow, anchor for Channel 4 (and the discussion’s chair)
Zoe Williams, columnist at The Guardian
Tom Clarke, science editor for Channel 4
There was a good deal of social media activity under the event’s hashtag #climatereporting and we encourage people to continue using it and to tweet us @Unearthed.
Here were some of the night’s highlights (in tweets)
.@jonsnowC4: “I came into journalism to change the world” #climatereporting
— Unearthed (@Unearthed) February 11, 2015
.@zoesqwilliams: Everything is a campaign, everything is a belief – why did you choose to write abt fracking in Balcombe? #climatereporting — Unearthed (@Unearthed) February 11, 2015
.@TomChivers Campaigning is allowing your zeal to overtake the facts #climatereporting — Unearthed (@Unearthed) February 11, 2015
@TomClarkeC4 said u must report the facts,but giving reporting parity to events that have huge disparity in effect is bias #climatereporting
— Fionn Travers-Smith (@Fionntsmith) February 11, 2015
Li Shuo of Greenpeace China: There is a responsibility of the media across different countries, to push the right message #climatereporting — Unearthed (@Unearthed) February 11, 2015
2/2 @nytimes abandoned eco desk, didn’t work spreading stories around newsroom says @adamvaughan_uk. We need specialists #climatereporting — Nabeelah (@lahnabee) February 11, 2015
Jon Snow: Within 10 years there will be specialist climate change reporters at mainstream news outlets #climatereporting — Zachary Davies Boren (@zdboren) February 11, 2015
Thomas from Germany: “Responsibility” is the important word in the question – we have to fight with all we have #climatereporting
— Unearthed (@Unearthed) February 11, 2015
There’s a bigger question here I think. Is news the wrong medium for making progress on climate? Needs conflict, grimness #climatereporting — James Turner (@jamesturn) February 11, 2015
Bob Ward at #climatereporting saying Mail On Sunday is leading a campaign to misinform the public. — Ben Pile (@clim8resistance) February 11, 2015
China Dialogue: Not about campaigning, about climate change reported through all beats, including conflict over resources #climatereporting — Unearthed (@Unearthed) February 11, 2015
“Climate change should be headlines each day as opposed to ukip… but isn’t as often aren’t new angles” says @tomclarkec4 #climatereporting — Richard Casson (@richardcasson) February 11, 2015
Climate talks just aren’t sexy, the panel agrees #climatereporting — Zachary Davies Boren (@zdboren) February 11, 2015
Campaigning journalists become damaged; they would be known as axe grinders rather than purveyors of truth says @jonsnowC4 #climatereporting — Nabeelah (@lahnabee) February 11, 2015
By scaremongering, you take away the credibility of entire climate debate, says freelancer in audience #climatereporting @Unearthed — Jocelyn Timperley (@jloistf) February 11, 2015
“It’s been a bit like a climate change conference.” @jonsnowC4 on #climatereporting — Sarah Watson (@sarahwatto) February 11, 2015