Wednesday
Jan132010
by 
Bishop Hill
Bishop Hill Environment correspondents
This is a guest post by Andrew K.
This is as much as anything an appeal for information: to do a little crowdsourcing.
I have been aware for a while that the post of Environment Correspondent isn't necessarily held by either scientists or economists, and can be a favoured career destination for activists.
I have produced a small list which can be downloaded here. It is by no means comprehensive. In particular the tabloids are poorly covered, as they tend not to be forthcoming with byelines. What I am looking for is people to fill in the gaps and add to our knowledge, either by posting in comments or if preferred by e-mail to my gracious host for forwarding. What I particularly need is
- Any missing names, and the publications or media sources they are attached to.
- Educational backgrounds, in particular degrees held
- Career backgorounds: e.g. former fashion correspondent.
- Any history of activism in the area of Climate Change, either convinced or sceptical.
It would be helpful of sources and/or references could be provided.
I hope in due course to produce a comprehensive listing which should help to inform the debate
Reader Comments (58)
Regarding Editors:
I'm an American librarian and teacher of media literacy who has monitored authorship since fall when the Associated Press (Seth Borenstein) drew my attention.
I copied this comment from a fellow blogger two months ago for my own notes, and I have no idea who wrote it.
******Actually, the editors and publishers DO hear from their customers, regularly.
Thing is, we (you, me, the folks who read or watch) are NOT the customers. We're actually the product... or at least our attention and mindspace is.
The CUSTOMERS are the advertising agents and companies who pay the MSM guys to deliver their messages into our mindspace... and I assure you, the eds and publishers hear from those customers. After every issue.
Whereas we, unless we fit the "right" demographic categories ...have a bad habit of breaking the buying trance they're trying to create.
Contacting the media folks is a waste. If you want to be heard, you've GOT to contact the advertisers directly... and en masse.
They're the customers, they're the money. They'll get heard in the editorial offices. We won't.*********
Regarding Publishers - American librarians got this ADV email on January 13, 2010
*********To: School librarians
Subject: Educators Seek More Environmental Content in Curricula
11-part PBS Environmental Series
JOURNEY TO PLANET EARTH
Available for Educators
Today's news headlines tell of a world facing increased hunger, water shortages, massive floods, and species extinction because of climate change and sea level rise.
In response, educational institutions are introducing courses dealing with the most pressing of these environmental issues. And to help educators explain to students the science behind these new environmental challenges, more than 1,500 universities, colleges, and schools in North America have added to their media libraries the environmental video series JOURNEY TO PLANET EARTH.
Please accept our invitation to receive a 30-day online preview of this highly acclaimed PBS series. Hosted/Narrated by Academy Award winner Matt Damon, this may be the only science series for educators to receive rave reviews from both People Magazine and the School Library Journal.
To preview online, click here: http://video.webcasts.com/events/scre001/32143/
Partially funded by the National Science Foundation, JOURNEY TO PLANET EARTH is also the only series that helps students and educators understand the most critical and timely issues facing the natural sciences in the 21st century. Through an interdisciplinary approach, these programs reach beyond the physical sciences and draw connections to politics, economics, sociology, and history.
Series Price: $1199 (set of eleven), $599 (any five), or $149 per episode. Includes Educators Guides.
continued*******
Visit our website for more information about the series: www.pbs.org/journeytoplanetearth
Kimberly Klinger
Educational Outreach Manager
Journey To Planet Earth
Screenscope, Inc.
4330 Yuma Street, NW
Washington, DC 20016
Tel: (202) 364-0055
Fax: (202) 364-0058
E-Mail: screenscope @ screenscope. com
Praise for the series:
"Do not miss." -- People Magazine
"Superbly illustrates the desperate need for a balance between the needs of people and the environment. An extraordinary production -- a must
buy for media libraries." -- School Library Journal
"Lavishly shot, this series introduces worldwide environmental concerns to students and other interested viewers." -- Booklist
"Highly recommended for collections in ecology and environmental sciences." -- Journal Of Academic Librarianship
AWARDS:
First Prize, Columbus International Film and Video Festival; Two
Gold Medals and a Bronze, Chicago International Film & Video Festival;
Three Golden Eagles, CINE Film Festival and Two Gold and a Silver Medal,
Houston International Film Festival.******************************
Regarding Publishers
Nature Magazine: http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100111/full/news.2010.6.html
Now you may say, “Who reads Nature anyway?” http://www.nature.com/npg_/contact/offices.html
Turns out, Nature and Macmillan Publishing are connected. Macmillan publishes science textbooks full of Global Warming. Nearly every school district in America has their textbooks. And every library has their science books. Some school librarians are buying this material by the boatload. The topic is more popular than the moon landing.
Gwynne Dyer is another beaut with absolutely no science background but that didn't stop him from writing many articles some of which are pure BS and his latest book, Climate Wars. Wiki says: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwynne_Dyer
His web site is here: http://www.gwynnedyer.com/index.html The picture is very old.
If the comment is from the REAL Professor Bunyip, please re-activate the Billabong and get back to blogging. I'll sleep with you if only you will get back to work. Actually, I'd sleep with you anyway, as a "thank you" for all your previous efforts.
The environment refers to the air, water and land in which people, animals, and plants live. So human beings, animals, plants, air, water and soil are the main elements of the environment.
It will be a very useful resource when complete.